title: The isolation and characterization of the Escherichia coli DNA adenine methylase (dam) gene.
abstract: The E. coli dam (DNA adenine methylase) enzyme is known to methylate the sequence GATC. A general method for cloning sequence-specific DNA methylase genes was used to isolate the dam gene on a 1.14 kb fragment, inserted in the plasmid vector pBR322. Subsequent restriction mapping and subcloning experiments established a set of approximate boundaries of the gene. The nucleotide sequence of the dam gene was determined, and analysis of that sequence revealed a unique open reading frame which corresponded in length to that necessary to code for a protein the size of dam. Amino acid composition derived from this sequence corresponds closely to the amino acid composition of the purified dam protein. Enzymatic and DNA:DNA hybridization methods were used to investigate the possible presence of dam genes in a variety of prokaryotic organisms.
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004248:DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases / Q000235:genetics*; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology*; D005796:Genes; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D008780:Methyltransferases / Q000235:genetics*; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D010957:Plasmids
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D008780:Methyltransferases; D004248:DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes