title: A Type III restriction-modification system in Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. capri.
abstract: The sequenced genome of Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. capri revealed the presence of a Type III restriction-modification system (MmyCI). The methyltransferase (modification) subunit of MmyCI (M.MmyCI) was shown to recognize the sequence 5'-TGAG-3' and methylate the adenine. The coding region of the methyltransferase gene contains 12 consecutive AG dinucleotide repeats that result in a translational termination at a TAA codon immediately beyond the repeat region. This strain does not have MmyCI activity. A clone was found with 10 AG repeats such that the gene is in frame, and this strain has MmyCI activity, suggesting that the expression of the MmyCI methyltransferase may be phase variable.
authors.affiliation: The J. Craig Venter Institute, 9704 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD 20850, USA. malgire@jcvi.org
authors.forename: Mikkel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Algire
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Montague
authors.forename: Sanjay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vashee
authors.forename: Carole
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lartigue
authors.forename: Chuck
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Merryman
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015280:DNA Restriction-Modification Enzymes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018900:Dinucleotide Repeats / Q000502:physiology*; D009176:Mycoplasma mycoides / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D013379:Substrate Specificity / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D015280:DNA Restriction-Modification Enzymes; D004269:DNA, Bacterial