Molecular cloning and characterization of the DNA adenine methyltransferase gene in Feldmannia sp. virus

The genome of Feldmannia sp. virus (FsV), a marine brown alga virus, contains a putative DNA adenine methyltransferase (dam) gene of 1,245 bp that encodes a polypeptide of 45.8 kDa. A BLAST search with the FsV dam gene showed high amino acid identity to two putative methyltransferase genes, ORF B29 of Feldmannia irregularis virus (FirrV, 54%) and ORF129 of Ectocarpus siliculosus virus (EsV, 36%); and a PSI BLAST search revealed similarity to the N(6)-adenine methyltransferases (MTases) of other species. Most conserved motifs of beta-class MTases were observed in the FsV dam gene. However, neither of the highly conserved sequences in motifs I (FxGxG) or IV [(S/N/D)PP(Y/F/W)] perfectly matched those in the FsV dam gene. The highly conserved DPPY consensus sequence in motif IV was NTPW in the FsV dam gene, perfectly matching the sequences in ORF B29 of FirrV and ORF129 of EsV. Therefore, the dam genes in brown algae viruses may belong to a yet undiscovered group. The FsV Dam protein expressed from the cloned FsV dam gene methylated E. coli chromosomal DNA. This is the first report showing that a virus infecting marine filamentous brown algae encodes a functional Dam protein.