Abstract
GATC sequences in Escherichia coli DNA are methylated at the adenine residue by DNA adenine methyltransferase (DamMT). These methylated residues and/or the level of DamMT can influence cellular functions such as gene transcription, DNA mismatch repair, initiation of chromosome replication and nucleoid structure. In certain bacteria, unlike E. coli, DamMT is essential for viability perhaps owing to its role in chromosome replication. DamMT has also been implicated as a virulence factor in bacterial pathogenesis. The origin and phylogeny of DamMT, based on sequenced genomes, has been deduced.
Original language | English |
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Journal | Current Opinion in Microbiology |
Volume | 8 |
Issue number | 2 |
Pages (from-to) | 154-60 |
Number of pages | 7 |
ISSN | 1369-5274 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Apr 2005 |
Keywords
- Bacterial Physiological Phenomena
- DNA Methylation
- DNA, Bacterial/metabolism
- Escherichia coli Proteins
- Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial
- Site-Specific DNA-Methyltransferase (Adenine-Specific)/genetics