Mammalian DNA Methyltransferases: A Structural Perspective

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Xiaodong Cheng, Emory University; Robert M. Blumenthal, University of Toledo
• Language: English
• Date: 2008-03
• Publisher: Elsevier (Cell Press)
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © 2008 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommerical-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.str.2008.01.004
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Structure
• ISSN: 0969-2126
• Volume: 16
• Issue: 3
• Start Page: 341
• End Page: 350
• Grant/Funding Information: Work in the authors’ laboratories is supported in part by grants (National Institutes of Health GM049245 and GM068680 to X.C.; National Science Foundation 0516692 to R.M.B.) and by the Georgia Research Alliance (to X.C.).
• Keywords: DNA; PROTEINS
• Research Categories: Chemistry, Biochemistry; Biology, Bioinformatics; Health Sciences, Immunology

Abstract

The methylation of mammalian DNA, primarily at CpG dinucleotides, has long been recognized to play a major role in controlling gene expression, among other functions. Given their importance, it is surprising how many basic questions remain to be answered about the proteins responsible for this methylation and for coordination with the parallel chromatin-marking system that operates at the level of histone modification. This article reviews recent studies on, and discusses the resulting biochemical and structural insights into, the DNA nucleotide methyltransferase (Dnmt) proteins 1, 3a, 3a2, 3b, and 3L.