DNA methylation in Yersinia enterocolitica: role of the DNA adenine methyltransferase in mismatch repair and regulation of virulence factors.
DNA adenine methyltransferase (Dam) plays an important role in physiological processes of Gram-negative bacteria such as mismatch repair and replication. In addition, Dam regulates the expression of virulence genes in various species. The authors cloned the dam gene of Yersinia enterocolitica and showed that Dam is essential for viability. Dam overproduction in Y. enterocolitica resulted in an increased frequency of spontaneous mutation and decreased resistance to 2-aminopurine; however, these effects were only marginal compared to the effect of overproduction of Escherichia coli-derived Dam in Y. enterocolitica, implying different roles or activities of Dam in mismatch repair of the two species. These differences in Dam function are not the cause for the essentiality of Dam in Y. enterocolitica, as Dam of E. coli can complement a dam defect in Y. enterocolitica. Instead, Dam seems to interfere with expression of essential genes. Furthermore, Dam mediates virulence of Y. enterocolitica. Dam overproduction results in increased tissue culture invasion of Y. enterocolitica, while the expression of specifically in vivo-expressed genes is not altered.
Institut für Infektiologie, Zentrum für Molekularbiologie der Entzündung (ZMBE), Universitätsklinikum Münster, von-Esmarch-Str. 56, 48149 Münster, Germany.
Stefan
S
Fälker
Institut für Infektiologie, Zentrum für Molekularbiologie der Entzündung (ZMBE), Universitätsklinikum Münster, von-Esmarch-Str. 56, 48149 Münster, Germany.
M Alexander
MA
Schmidt
Institut für Infektiologie, Zentrum für Molekularbiologie der Entzündung (ZMBE), Universitätsklinikum Münster, von-Esmarch-Str. 56, 48149 Münster, Germany.
Gerhard
G
Heusipp
D000818:Animals; D016466:CHO Cells; D006224:Cricetinae; D004260:DNA Repair; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D008745:Methylation; D015265:Site-Specific DNA-Methyltransferase (Adenine-Specific) / Q000378:metabolism*; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D014774:Virulence; D015009:Yersinia Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D015008:Yersinia enterocolitica / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D015265:Site-Specific DNA-Methyltransferase (Adenine-Specific)