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Selective inhibition of cytosine-DNA methylases by polyamines
J Ruiz-Herrera1, R Ruiz-Medrano, A Domínguez
1Departmento de Genética y Biología Molecular, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Irapuato, Gto., Mexico.
Abstract:
We have advanced the hypothesis that polyamines affect DNA methylation and thus promote the expression of developmentally controlled genes. We demonstrate that the activity of cytosine-DNA methyltransferases HpaII, HhaI, HaeIII and SssI is inhibited by physiological concentrations of polyamines. On the other hand, activity of the adenine-DNA methyltransferase EcoRI, and restriction enzymes HpaII, HhaI, HaeIII and EcoRI, is insensitive to polyamine concentrations up to 40 mM. Our results indicate that the effect of polyamines on cytosine-DNA methyltransferases is rather selective and suggest a possible mode of action in vivo.