title: DNA methyltransferases.
abstract: Mammals have long been known to tag their DNA by the addition of methyl groups to cytosine residues. Only quite recently, however, has the functional significance of DNA methylation established a firm footing. Evidence now indicates that DNA methylation is essential for development, and is involved in both programmed and ectopic gene inactivation. Recent structural and mechanistic work on bacterial cytosine-5-methyltransferases has provided much insight into the function of the carboxy-terminal catalytic domain of eukaryotic cytosine-5-methyltransferases; evidence is emerging that the amino-terminal domain targets the enzyme to the replication machinery and may be involved in sensing the pre-existing methylation state of the DNA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115.
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Bestor
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Verdine
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D004248:DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data
chemical_list: D004247:DNA; D004248:DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases