Summary
The ribosomal DNA (rDNA) ofSchizophyllum commune was shown previously to be highly methylated (Specht et al. 1984). To investigate the role of methylation of rDNA, a map of the recognition sites (CCGG) of the methylation-sensitive restriction endonucleases, MspI and Hpall, was prepared for the rDNA ofS. commune strain 4–40. The incidence of methylation at these CCGG sequences was analyzed. Our analyses demonstrate that either of the cytosines of the CCGG sequence can be methylated in Schizophyllum, however methylation of the internal cytosine is more frequent than methylation of the external cytosine. The external cytosines of CCGG sequences near the rDNA transcriptional initiation site are less frequently methylated than those else-where in the rDNA. The methylation of these sequences has been shown to be developmentally regulated inS. commune. We find that these sequences are more highly methylated in dikaryonic than homokaryotic cells. We propose that methylation of the rDNA may have a role in regulating the transcription of rRNA inS. commune.
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Buckner, B., Novotny, C.P. & Ullrich, R.C. Developmental regulation of the methylation of the ribosomal DNA in the basidiomycete fungusSchizophyllum commune . Curr Genet 14, 105–111 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00569333
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00569333