DNA methylase: purification from ascites cells and the effect of various DNA substrates on its activity

DNA methylase has been purified 405-fold from Krebs II ascites cells. The purified enzyme is homogeneous on SDS-poly acrylamide gel electrophoresis (molecular weight about 80,000) and the only product of the reaction with DNA is 5-methyl cytosine. Both native and denatured DNA are methylated by the enzyme; with calf thymus DNA the double stranded form is the better substrate but the enzyme preferentially methylates single stranded E.coli DNA even in "native" preparations. Our results do not support a mechanism whereby the enzyme methylates DNA by binding irreversibly and "walking" along it. By measuring maximum levels of methylation of DNAs from different sources we have estimated the proportion of unmethylated sites present in them. Homologous ascites DNA can be methylated, but only to about 5% of the level of the best substrate, undermethylated mouse L929 cell DNA. DNA isolated from growing cells or tissues is a better substrate than DNA from normal liver or pancreas, or from stationary cells.