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Updated: Jun 8, 2026
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Continuous Fluorescence-Based Endonuclease-Coupled DNA Methylation Assay to Screen for DNA Methyltransferase Inhibitors
Published on: August 5, 2022
Uncovering the human methyltransferasome.
Tanya C Petrossian1, Steven G Clarke
1Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, California 90095-1570, USA.
Molecular & Cellular Proteomics : MCP
|October 9, 2010
Summary
Researchers identified 208 human methyltransferases, including 38 newly discovered proteins. This comprehensive analysis links many methyltransferases to disease, advancing our understanding of methylation in human health.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Proteomics
- Bioinformatics
Background:
- Methyltransferases are crucial enzymes involved in various biological processes.
- A comprehensive understanding of the human methyltransferasome is lacking.
- Identifying novel methyltransferases and their roles is essential for understanding human health and disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To perform a comprehensive analysis of the human methyltransferasome.
- To identify novel methyltransferases within the human genome.
- To predict potential substrates for identified methyltransferases.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of primary sequences, predicted secondary structures, and crystal structures of known methyltransferases.
- Utilized hidden Markov models, Fisher-based statistical matrices, and fold recognition algorithms to create methyltransferase superfamily profiles.
- Scanned the human proteome database using these profiles to detect novel methyltransferases and predicted substrates via sequence similarity clusters.
Main Results:
- Identified 208 known or putative methyltransferases in the human genome.
- Discovered 38 previously unannotated methyltransferase proteins.
- Predicted possible methylation substrates for SET domain, SPOUT, and 100 seven-β-strand methyltransferases.
Conclusions:
- This study significantly expands the catalog of human methyltransferases.
- A substantial portion (30%) of identified methyltransferases are linked to disease states.
- The findings provide a foundation for further research into methyltransferase functions and their roles in human diseases.
