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DNA Methylation Patterns: Formation and Biological Functions

  • Chapter
DNA Methylation

Part of the book series: Springer Series in Molecular Biology ((SSMOL))

Abstract

It is now an established fact that the distribution of methylated bases along DNA form a distinct pattern that is characteristic of the cell in which this DNA is harbored. It is also becoming clear that the biological functions that are fulfilled by DNA methylation are dependent on these patterns. The relationship between DNA methylation patterns and the various biological functions that are associated with these patterns is discussed in other chapters in this volume. However, it is appropriate to mention one familiar, clear-cut example of how a pattern of methylation exerts its biological function. The biological function of the restriction-modification systems in bacteria is to protect the cell from invasion of foreign genetic material. This protection is achieved via degradation of foreign DNA by restriction enzymes that are sequence-specific endonucleases. The DNA cleavage activity of these endonucleases is refractory to methylation at their recognition sites (see Chapter 5). The methylation is carried out by sequence-specific modification enzymes, which can methylate efficiently the restriction enzyme recognition sites of the host DNA. Since this methylation must provide protection to all sites in the host DNA, the pattern of methylation obtained in this case is determined by the distribution of the restriction sites along the DNA.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cellular Biochemistry, The Hebrew University, Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel

    Aharon Razin

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  1. Aharon Razin
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cellular Biology, The Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, 91-010, Jerusalem, Israel

    Aharon Razin (Chairman) (Chairman)

  2. Department of Cellular Biochemistry, The Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, 91-010, Jerusalem, Israel

    Howard Cedar

  3. Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, 91010, Duarte, California, USA

    Arthur D. Riggs

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Razin, A. (1984). DNA Methylation Patterns: Formation and Biological Functions. In: Razin, A., Cedar, H., Riggs, A.D. (eds) DNA Methylation. Springer Series in Molecular Biology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-8519-6_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-8519-6_7

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