Pattern of undermethylation of the major satellite DNA of mouse sperm

Enzymatic hydrolysis and base analysis by high performance liquid chromatography showed that mouse satellite DNA had 30-50% less 5-methylcytosine in sperm than in somatic tissue (1.59 mols % vs 2.40-3.11 mols %). Maxam-Gilbert sequencing and analysis of the intensity of the cytosine bands indicated that the level of methylation of the eight CpGs of the consensus sequence in sperm satellite DNA ranged from 0 to about 50%, considerably lower than the levels reported in somatic tissues. The Mn1I site containing one of these CpGs was cut much more extensively in satellite DNA from sperm than from liver, confirming the undermethylation of this site in sperm DNA.