High impact information on Dnmt2

• Through search in the genomic database, we also have identified a Drosophila polypeptide, DmMT2, that exhibits high sequence homology to the mammalian dnmt2 and the yeast CpG MTase homolog pmt1 [1].
• In order to analyse the function of Dnmt2 in DNA methylation, we depleted the protein by RNA interference [2].
• The Drosophila genome contains a single candidate DNA methyltransferase gene that has been termed Dnmt2 [2].
• Consistently, overexpression of Dnmt2 from an inducible transgene resulted in significant genomic hypermethylation at CpT and CpA dinucleotides [2].
• Depletion of Dnmt2 had no detectable effect on embryonic development and resulted in a complete loss of DNA methylation [2].

Biological context of Dnmt2

• A Dnmt2-like protein mediates DNA methylation in Drosophila [2].
• We have now identified Dnmt2-like open reading frames in the genome sequences of Drosophila pseudoobscura and Anopheles gambiae [3].
• Subsequent methylation tract analysis by genomic bisulphite sequencing revealed that Dnmt3 enzymes preferentially methylated CpG dinucleotides in a processive manner, whereas Dnmt2 methylated isolated cytosine residues in a non-CpG dinucleotide context [4].
• Furthermore, transient transfection studies in combination with sodium bisulfite sequencing demonstrated that dDnmt2 as well as its mouse ortholog, mDnmt2, are capable of methylating a cotransfected plasmid DNA [5].

Associations of Dnmt2 with chemical compounds

• DnmA belongs to the Dnmt2 subfamily and contains all the catalytic motifs necessary for cytosine methyltransferases [6].

References