Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Control of DNA methylation in fungi

  • Chapter
DNA Methylation

Part of the book series: EXS ((EXS,volume 64))

Abstract

Fungi represent an evolutionarily diverse set of eukaryotic organisms including, for example, mushrooms, slime molds, true molds and yeasts. Methylation of cytosines in DNA has been observed in many but not all fungi (Table 1). Considering the diversity of eukaryotic organisms with DNA methylation, it is possible that this modification serves distinct roles in higher and lower eukaryotes and even distinct roles in different fungi. The control of methylation may also differ in different eukaryotes. Why study methylation in fungi? First, studying methylation in fungi may reveal novel biological phenomena. The discovery of repeat- induced point mutation (RIP) occurred in this way (Selker et al., 1987b; Selker, 1990b). Second, fungi offer favorable systems to address general questions having to do with DNA methylation. Some fungi are extremely amenable to both genetic and molecular approaches, and may provide the easiest, fastest and cheapest means to understand the basics of the control and function of DNA methylation in eukaryotes. Since studies of DNA methylation in fungi are still in their infancy, in this chapter I will point out some attractions of studying methylation in fungi such as the ascomycete Neurospora crassa, the organism with which I am most familiar.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Antequera, F., Tamame, M., Villanueva, J. R., and Santos, T. (1984) DNA methylation in the fungi. J. Biol. Chem. 259, 8033–8036.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Antequera, F., Tamame, M., Villanueva, J. R., and Santos, T. (1985) Developmental modulation of DNA methylation in the fungus Phycomyces blakesleeanus. Nucl. Acids Res. 13, 6545–6558.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Buckner, B., Novotny, C. P., and Ullrich, R. C. (1988) Developmental regulation of the methylation of the ribosomal DNA in the basidiomycete fungus Schizophyllum commune. Curr. Genet. 14, 105–111.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bull, J., and Wootton, J. C. (1984) Heavily methylated amplified DNA in transformants of Neurospora crassa. Nature 310, 701–704.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cambareri, E. B., Singer, M. J., and Selker, E. U. (1991) Recurrence of repeat-induced point mutation (RIP) in Neurospora crassa. Genetics 127, 699–710.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cano, C, Herrera-Estrella, L., and Ruiz-Herrera, J. (1988) DNA methylation and poly- amines in regulation of development of the fungus Mucor rouxii. J. Bacteriol.170, 5946–5948.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Evans, H. H., Evans, T. E., and Littman, S. (1973) Methylation of parental and progeny DNA strands in Physarum polycephalum. J. Mol. Biol. 74, 563–572.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Evans, H. H., and Evans, T. E. (1970) Methylation of the deoxyribonucleic acid of Physarum polycephalum at various periods during the mitotic cycle. J. Biol. Chem. 245, 6436–6441.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goyon, C., and Faugeron, G. (1989) Targeted transformation of Ascobolus immersus and de novo methylation of the resulting duplicated DNA sequences. Mol. Cell. Biol. 9, 2818 — 2827.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Grayburn, W. S., and Selker, E. U. (1989) A natural case of RIP: Degeneration of DNA sequence in an ancestral tandem duplication. Mol. Cell. Biol. 9, 4416–4421.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Harland, R. (1982) Inheritance of DNA methylation in microinjected eggs of Xenopus laevis. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 79, 2323–2327.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Holliday, R., and Pugh, J. E. (1975) DNA modification mechanisms and gene activity during development. Science 187, 226–232.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jupe, E. R., Magill, J. M., and Magill, C. W. (1986) Stage-specific DNA methylation in a fungal plant pathogen. J. Bacteriol. 165, 420–423.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Keller, N. P., Bergstrom, G. C., and Yoder, O. C. (1991) Mitotic stability of transforming DNA is determined by its chromosomal configuration in the fungus Cochliobolus heterostrophus. Curr. Genet. 19, 227–233.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Peoples, V., Whittaker, P., Pearston, D., and Hardman, N. (1985) Structural organization of a hypermethylated nuclear DNA component in Physarum polycephalum. J. Gen. Micro-biol. 131, 1157–1165.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Proffitt, J. H., Davie, J. R., Swinton, D., and Hattman, S. (1984) 5-methylcytosine is not detectable in Saccharomyces cerevisiae DNA. Mol. Cell. Biol. 4, 985–988.

    Google Scholar 

  • Riggs, A. (1975) X inactivation, differentiation, and DNA methylation. Cytogenet. Cell Genet. 14, 9–25.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rossignol, J.-L., and Picard, M. (1991) Ascobolus immersus and Podospora anserina: sex recombination, silencing, and death, in: More gene manipulations in fungi, pp. 266–290. Eds J. W. Bennett and L. Lasure. Academic Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Russell, P. J., Rodland, K. D., Rachlin, E. M., and McCloskey, J. A. (1987a) Different levels of DNA methylation in yeast and mycelial forms of Candida albicans. J. Bacteriol. 169, 4393–4395.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Russell, P. J., Welsch, J. A., Rachlin, E. M., and McCloskey, J. A. (1987b) Differential DNA methylation during the vegetative life cycle of Neurospora crassa. J. Bacteriol. 169, 2902–2905.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Selker, E. U. (1990a) DNA methylation and chromatin structure: A view from below. TIBS 15, 103–107.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Selker, E. U. (1990b) Premeiotic instability of repeated sequences in Neurospora crassa. Ann. Rev. Gen. 24, 579–613.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Selker, E. U. (1991) Repeat-induction point mutation (RIP) and DNA methylation, in: More gene manipulations in fungi, pp. 258–265. Eds J. W. Bennett and L. Lasure. Academic Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Selker, E. U., Cambaren, E. B., Jensen, B. C, and Haack, K. R. (1987b) Rearrangement of duplicated DNA in specialized cells of Neurospora. Cell 51, 741–752.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Selker, E. U., and Garrett, P. W. (1988) DNA sequence duplications trigger gene inactiva-tion in Neurospora crassa. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85, 6870–6874.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Selker, E. U., Jensen, B. C, and Richardson, G. A. (1987a) A portable signal causing faithful DNA methylation de novo in Neurospora crassa. Science 238, 48–53.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Selker, E. U., and Stevens, J. N. (1985) Methylation at asymmetric sites is associated with numerous transition mutations. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82, 8114–8118.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tamame, M., Antequera, F., Villanueva, J. R., and Santos, T. (1983) High-frequency conversion to a “fluffy”developmental phenotype in Aspergillus spp. by 5-azacytidine treatment: evidence for involvement of a single nuclear gene. Mol. Cell. Biol. 3, 2287–2297.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wigler, M., Levy, D., and Perucho, M. (1981) The somatic replication of DNA methylation. Cell 24, 33–40.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zolan, M. I., and Pukkila, P. J. (1985) DNA methylation in Coprinus cinereus, in: Molecular Genetics of Filamentous Fungi, pp. 333–344. Ed. W. Timberlake. A.R. Liss, Inc., New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zolan, M. I., and Pukkila, P. J. (1986) Inheritance of DNA methylation in Coprinus cinereus. Mol. Cell. Biol. 6, 195–200.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Molecular Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, 97403, USA

    Eric U. Selker

Authors
  1. Eric U. Selker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Friedrich Miescher-Institut, P.O. Box 2543, CH-4002, Basel, Switzerland

    Jean-Pierre Jost

  2. IRBM, Via Pontina Km 30,600, I-00040, Pomenzia (Roma), Italy

    Hans-Peter Saluz

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1993 Birkhäuser Verlag Basel/Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Selker, E.U. (1993). Control of DNA methylation in fungi. In: Jost, JP., Saluz, HP. (eds) DNA Methylation. EXS, vol 64. Birkhäuser Basel. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-9118-9_10

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-9118-9_10

  • Publisher Name: Birkhäuser Basel

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-0348-9915-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-0348-9118-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation