Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 22, 2025

Immunostaining for DNA Modifications: Computational Analysis of Confocal Images
09:42

Immunostaining for DNA Modifications: Computational Analysis of Confocal Images

Published on: September 7, 2017

9.8K

DNA Methylation in Prokaryotes

Josep Casadesús1, María A Sánchez-Romero2

  • 1Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, Spain.

Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
|November 9, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Bacterial and phage genomes utilize DNA methylation for critical functions like DNA repair and transcription regulation. This epigenetic mechanism offers potential targets for novel therapies against infectious diseases.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Epigenetics
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Prokaryotic genomes (bacteria, archaea, phage) contain modified bases, including methylated cytosine and adenine.
  • DNA methylation is catalyzed post-replication by DNA methyltransferases recognizing specific DNA sequences.
  • These enzymes are broadly classified into restriction-modification system components and solitary enzymes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the roles and classification of DNA methyltransferases in prokaryotes.
  • To explore the functional significance of DNA methylation in bacterial and phage biology.
  • To investigate the potential of targeting DNA methylation for therapeutic interventions in infectious diseases.

Main Methods:

  • Bioinformatic analysis of prokaryotic genomes to identify DNA methyltransferases and their associated sequences.
  • Review of existing literature on the functions of DNA methylation in prokaryotes.
  • Exploration of the implications of DNA methylation in host-pathogen interactions.

Main Results:

  • Prokaryotic DNA methylation primarily involves C5-methylcytosine, N4-methylcytosine, and N6-methyladenine.
  • DNA methyltransferases are crucial for processes including DNA restriction avoidance, DNA repair, cell cycle control, and transcriptional regulation.
  • Methylation patterns influence bacterial pathogen interactions with host organisms.

Conclusions:

  • DNA methylation is a fundamental epigenetic mechanism in prokaryotes with diverse regulatory roles.
  • Understanding prokaryotic DNA methylation provides insights into microbial physiology and pathogenesis.
  • Epigenetic therapies targeting DNA methylation present a promising avenue for combating infectious diseases.
Keywords:
DNA methylationRestriction-modification systemsmethylomemethyltransferases

More Related Videos

Isolation and Cultivation of Neural Progenitors Followed by Chromatin-Immunoprecipitation of Histone 3 Lysine 79 Dimethylation Mark10:09

Isolation and Cultivation of Neural Progenitors Followed by Chromatin-Immunoprecipitation of Histone 3 Lysine 79 Dimethylation Mark

Published on: January 26, 2018

7.6K
Detection of Modified Forms of Cytosine Using Sensitive Immunohistochemistry07:13

Detection of Modified Forms of Cytosine Using Sensitive Immunohistochemistry

Published on: August 16, 2016

7.4K

Related Concept Videos

Genomic DNA in Prokaryotes00:46

Genomic DNA in Prokaryotes

The genome of most prokaryotic organisms consists of double-stranded DNA organized into one circular chromosome in a region of cytoplasm called the nucleoid. The chromosome is tightly wound, or supercoiled, for efficient storage. Prokaryotes also contain other circular pieces of DNA called plasmids. These plasmids are smaller than the chromosome and often carry genes that confer adaptive functions, such as antibiotic resistance.
Genomic Diversity in Bacteria
Although bacterial genomes are much...
44.3K
Nucleoid01:24

Nucleoid

The nucleoid represents a structurally and functionally distinct region within prokaryotic cells, where the cell's DNA and associated proteins are housed. Unlike eukaryotic cells, prokaryotes lack a membrane-bound nucleus, and the nucleoid facilitates the organization and accessibility of the genetic material within this constraint. The DNA in most bacteria and archaea exists as a single, circular, double-stranded molecule that is highly compacted through supercoiling and interactions with...
98
Epigenetic Regulation01:46

Epigenetic Regulation

Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in healthy development. Conversely, precisely regulated epigenetic mechanisms are disrupted in diseases like cancer.
31.3K
Transcription in Prokaryotes01:28

Transcription in Prokaryotes

Transcription is a highly regulated process that converts genetic information into RNA molecules. The transcription cycle is divided into three key stages: initiation, elongation, and termination, each driven by specific molecular mechanisms.Initiation of TranscriptionIn bacteria, transcription begins when the RNA polymerase core enzyme associates with a sigma factor to form a holoenzyme. For example, the E. coli sigma factor called σ70 forms a holoenzyme, which recognizes the -10 (Pribnow...
184
Replication in Prokaryotes01:32

Replication in Prokaryotes

DNA replication has three main steps: initiation, elongation, and termination. Replication in prokaryotes begins when initiator proteins bind to the single origin of replication (ori) on the cell's circular chromosome. Replication then proceeds around the entire circle of the chromosome in each direction from the two replication forks, resulting in two DNA molecules.
Many Proteins Work Together to Replicate the Chromosome
Replication is coordinated and carried out by a host of specialized...
25.2K
Prokaryotic Gene Structure and Organization01:28

Prokaryotic Gene Structure and Organization

Prokaryotic genomes exhibit a streamlined organization of coding and non-coding regions essential for gene expression and protein synthesis. While coding regions contain the genetic instructions for proteins or functional RNAs, non-coding regions regulate the precise transcription and translation of these genes.Coding Regions: Proteins and RNAsThe primary coding regions, known as structural genes, include sequences transcribed into messenger RNA (mRNA) and ultimately translated into...
347