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Updated: Oct 23, 2026

Sequence-specific Labeling of Nucleic Acids and Proteins with Methyltransferases and Cofactor Analogues
Published on: November 22, 2014
Effects of 5'deoxy-5'-methylthioadenosine on the metabolism of S-adenosyl methionine
Abstract:
The treatment of transformed rat cells with micromolar amounts of 5'deoxy 5'methyl thioadenosine induces rapid effects on the rate of methylation of DNA concomitantly with alterations of intracellular pools of S-adenosyl methionine and S-adenosyl homocysteine. Pulse chase labelling experiments indicate that 5'deoxy 5'methylthioadenosine does not inhibit the degradation of S-adenosyl homocysteine but inhibits the consumption of S-adenosyl methionine. In vitro transmethylation assays performed with heterologous DNA show that low doses of the thioethernucleoside do not significantly affect the DNA methyltransferase activity of cellular extracts. The biological role of 5'deoxy 5'methylthioadenosine, a natural molecule formed during the synthesis of polyamines is discussed.
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