Abstract
DNA methylation systems are well characterized in vertebrates, but methylation in Drosophila melanogaster and other invertebrates remains controversial. Using the recently sequenced honey bee genome, we present a bioinformatic, molecular, and biochemical characterization of a functional DNA methylation system in an insect. We report on catalytically active orthologs of the vertebrate DNA methyltransferases Dnmt1 and Dnmt3a and b, two isoforms that contain a methyl-DNA binding domain, genomic 5-methyl-deoxycytosine, and CpG-methylated genes. The honey bee provides an opportunity to study the roles of methylation in social contexts.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Amino Acid Sequence
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Animals
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Base Composition
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Bees / enzymology
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Bees / genetics*
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Bees / metabolism*
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Computational Biology
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DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases / chemistry
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DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases / genetics*
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DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases / metabolism*
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DNA / chemistry
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DNA / metabolism
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DNA Methylation*
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DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
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DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
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Dinucleoside Phosphates / metabolism*
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Genes, Insect
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Genome, Insect
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Insect Proteins / genetics
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Insect Proteins / metabolism
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Molecular Sequence Data
Substances
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DNA-Binding Proteins
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Dinucleoside Phosphates
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Insect Proteins
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cytidylyl-3'-5'-guanosine
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DNA
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DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases