Dnmt2-dependent methylomes lack defined DNA methylation patterns

Raddatz, G., Guzzardo, P. M., Olova, N., Fantappié, M. R., Rampp, M., Schaefer, M., Reik, W., Hannon, G. J., Lyko, F. (May 2013) Dnmt2-dependent methylomes lack defined DNA methylation patterns. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 110 (21). pp. 8627-8631. ISSN 00278424

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Abstract

Several organisms have retained methyltransferase 2 (Dnmt2) as their only candidate DNA methyltransferase gene. However, information about Dnmt2-dependent methylation patterns has been limited to a few isolated loci and the results have been discussed controversially. In addition, recent studies have shown that Dnmt2 functions as a tRNA methyltransferase, which raised the possibility that Dnmt2-only genomes might be unmethylated. We have now used whole-genome bisulfite sequencing to analyze the methylomes of Dnmt2-only organisms at single-base resolution. Our results show that the genomes of Schistosoma mansoni and Drosophila melanogaster lack detectable DNA methylation patterns. Residual unconverted cytosine residues shared many attributes with bisulfite deamination artifacts and were observed at comparable levels in Dnmt2-deficient flies. Furthermore, genetically modified Dnmt2-only mouse embryonic stem cells lost the DNA methylation patterns found in wild-type cells. Our results thus uncover fundamental differences among animal methylomes and suggest that DNA methylation is dispensable for a considerable number of eukaryotic organisms.

Item Type: Paper
Subjects: bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification > DNA methylation
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > protein structure, function, modification
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > protein structure, function, modification > protein types > methyltransferase
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > protein structure, function, modification > protein types
CSHL Authors:
Communities: CSHL labs > Hannon lab
School of Biological Sciences > Publications
CSHL Cancer Center Program > Cancer Genetics
Depositing User: Matt Covey
Date: 21 May 2013
Date Deposited: 24 Jun 2013 19:54
Last Modified: 22 Dec 2017 16:56
PMCID: PMC3666705
Related URLs:
URI: https://repository.cshl.edu/id/eprint/28361

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