The Escherichia coli dam DNA methyltransferase modifies DNA in a highly processive reaction

Semiconservative transmission of DNA N 6-adenine methylation in a unicellular eukaryote

Although DNA N 6-adenine methylation (6mA) is best known in prokaryotes, its presence in eukaryotes has recently generated great interest. Biochemical and genetic evidence supports that AMT1, an MT-A70 family methyltransferase (MTase), is crucial for 6mA deposition in unicellular eukaryotes. Nonetheless, the 6mA transmission mechanism remains to be elucidated. Taking advantage of single-molecule real-time circular consensus sequencing (SMRT CCS), here we provide definitive evidence for semiconservative transmission of 6mA in Tetrahymena thermophila In wild-type (WT) cells, 6mA occurs at the self-complementary ApT dinucleotide, mostly in full methylation (full-6mApT); after DNA replication, hemi-methylation (hemi-6mApT) is transiently present on the parental strand, opposite to the daughter strand readily labeled by 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU). In ΔAMT1 cells, 6mA predominantly occurs as hemi-6mApT. Hemi-to-full conversion in WT cells is fast, robust, and processive, whereas de novo methylation in ΔAMT1 cells is slow and sporadic. In Tetrahymena, regularly spaced 6mA clusters coincide with the linker DNA of nucleosomes arrayed in the gene body. Importantly, in vitro methylation of human chromatin by the reconstituted AMT1 complex recapitulates preferential targeting of hemi-6mApT sites in linker DNA, supporting AMT1's intrinsic and autonomous role in maintenance methylation. We conclude that 6mA is transmitted by a semiconservative mechanism: full-6mApT is split by DNA replication into hemi-6mApT, which is restored to full-6mApT by AMT1-dependent maintenance methylation. Our study dissects AMT1-dependent maintenance methylation and AMT1-independent de novo methylation, reveals a 6mA transmission pathway with a striking similarity to 5-methylcytosine (5mC) transmission at the CpG dinucleotide, and establishes 6mA as a bona fide eukaryotic epigenetic mark.

Burkholderia cenocepacia epigenetic regulator M.BceJIV simultaneously engages two DNA recognition sequences for methylation

Burkholderia cenocepacia is an opportunistic and infective bacterium containing an orphan DNA methyltransferase (M.BceJIV) with roles in regulating gene expression and motility of the bacterium. M.BceJIV recognizes a GTWWAC motif (where W can be an adenine or a thymine) and methylates the N6 of the adenine at the fifth base position (GTWWAC). Here, we present a high-resolution crystal structure of M.BceJIV/DNA/sinefungin ternary complex and allied biochemical, computational, and thermodynamic analyses. Remarkably, the structure shows not one, but two DNA substrates bound to the M.BceJIV dimer, wherein each monomer contributes to the recognition of two recognition sequences. This unexpected mode of DNA binding and methylation has not been observed previously and sets a new precedent for a DNA methyltransferase. We also show that methylation at two recognition sequences occurs independently, and that GTWWAC motifs are enriched in intergenic regions of a strain of B. cenocepacia's genome. We further computationally assess the interactions underlying the affinities of different ligands (SAM, SAH, and sinefungin) for M.BceJIV, as a step towards developing selective inhibitors for limiting B. cenocepacia infection.

Blocker-dUThiophene poly tailing-based method for assessing methyl transferase activity

In this report, we present a method for the selective and sensitive detection of methyl transferase activity. The method uses a dsDNA probe that contains C3 spacers and is coupled with dUThioTP-TdT polymerase-based poly-tailing. The short dsDNA probe is designed with C3 spacers at both 3' ends to prevent any type of tailing reaction. However, the probe contains a methyl transferase recognition sequence that can methylate adenosines in the palindromic part of both strands. When a specific DpnI endonuclease is introduced, it selectively cleaves the dsDNA probe such that both strands are methylated, unblocking the probe into two separate dsDNA forms with exposed 3' OH groups. This makes the probe susceptible to tailing in the presence of a TdT tailing polymerase. The unblocked probe is then subjected to fluorescent dUThioTP-based tailing, which produces a strong fluorescent signal that indicates the presence of methyl transferase activity. In the absence of methyl transferase, the probe remains in the blocked state and does not undergo fluorescence. This method has a limit of detection of 0.049 U/mL with good selectivity and the potential for accurate MTase analysis.

Comparative Study of Adenosine Analogs as Inhibitors of Protein Arginine Methyltransferases and a Clostridioides difficile-Specific DNA Adenine Methyltransferase

S-Adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM) analogs are adaptable tools for studying and therapeutically inhibiting SAM-dependent methyltransferases (MTases). Some MTases play significant roles in host-pathogen interactions, one of which is Clostridioides difficile-specific DNA adenine MTase (CamA). CamA is needed for efficient sporulation and alters persistence in the colon. To discover potent and selective CamA inhibitors, we explored modifications of the solvent-exposed edge of the SAM adenosine moiety. Starting from the two parental compounds (6e and 7), we designed an adenosine analog (11a) carrying a 3-phenylpropyl moiety at the adenine N6-amino group, and a 3-(cyclohexylmethyl guanidine)-ethyl moiety at the sulfur atom off the ribose ring. Compound 11a (IC50 = 0.15 μM) is 10× and 5× more potent against CamA than 6e and 7, respectively. The structure of the CamA-DNA-inhibitor complex revealed that 11a adopts a U-shaped conformation, with the two branches folded toward each other, and the aliphatic and aromatic rings at the two ends interacting with one another. 11a occupies the entire hydrophobic surface (apparently unique to CamA) next to the adenosine binding site. Our work presents a hybrid knowledge-based and fragment-based approach to generating CamA inhibitors that would be chemical agents to examine the mechanism(s) of action and therapeutic potentials of CamA in C. difficile infection.

Bacterial DNA methyltransferase: A key to the epigenetic world with lessons learned from proteobacteria

Epigenetics modulates expression levels of various important genes in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. These epigenetic traits are heritable without any change in genetic DNA sequences. DNA methylation is a universal mechanism of epigenetic regulation in all kingdoms of life. In bacteria, DNA methylation is the main form of epigenetic regulation and plays important roles in affecting clinically relevant phenotypes, such as virulence, host colonization, sporulation, biofilm formation et al. In this review, we survey bacterial epigenomic studies and focus on the recent developments in the structure, function, and mechanism of several highly conserved bacterial DNA methylases. These methyltransferases are relatively common in bacteria and participate in the regulation of gene expression and chromosomal DNA replication and repair control. Recent advances in sequencing techniques capable of detecting methylation signals have enabled the characterization of genome-wide epigenetic regulation. With their involvement in critical cellular processes, these highly conserved DNA methyltransferases may emerge as promising targets for developing novel epigenetic inhibitors for biomedical applications.

Repurposing epigenetic inhibitors to target the Clostridioides difficile-specific DNA adenine methyltransferase and sporulation regulator CamA

Epigenetically targeted therapeutic development, particularly for SAM-dependent methylations of DNA, mRNA and histones has been proceeding rapidly for cancer treatments over the past few years. However, this approach has barely begun to be exploited for developing new antibiotics, despite an overwhelming global need to counter antimicrobial resistance. Here, we explore whether SAM analogues, some of which are in (pre)clinical studies as inhibitors of human epigenetic enzymes, can also inhibit Clostridioides difficile-specific DNA adenine methyltransferase (CamA), a sporulation regulator present in all C. difficile genomes sequenced to date, but found in almost no other bacteria. We found that SGC0946 (an inhibitor of DOT1L), JNJ-64619178 (an inhibitor of PRMT5) and SGC8158 (an inhibitor of PRMT7) inhibit CamA enzymatic activity in vitro at low micromolar concentrations. Structural investigation of the ternary complexes of CamA-DNA in the presence of SGC0946 or SGC8158 revealed conformational rearrangements of the N-terminal arm, with no apparent disturbance of the active site. This N-terminal arm and its modulation of exchanges between SAM (the methyl donor) and SAH (the reaction product) during catalysis of methyl transfer are, to date, unique to CamA. Our work presents a substantial first step in generating potent and selective inhibitors of CamA that would serve in the near term as chemical probes to investigate the cellular mechanism(s) of CamA in controlling spore formation and colonization, and eventually as therapeutic antivirulence agents useful in treating C. difficile infection.

Strand discrimination in DNA mismatch repair

DNA mismatch repair (MMR) corrects non-Watson-Crick basepairs generated by replication errors, recombination intermediates, and some forms of chemical damage to DNA. In MutS and MutL homolog-dependent MMR, damaged bases do not identify the error-containing daughter strand that must be excised and resynthesized. In organisms like Escherichia coli that use methyl-directed MMR, transient undermethylation identifies the daughter strand. For other organisms, growing in vitro and in vivo evidence suggest that strand discrimination is mediated by DNA replication-associated daughter strand nicks that direct asymmetric loading of the replicative clamp (the β-clamp in bacteria and the proliferating cell nuclear antigen, PCNA, in eukaryotes). Structural modeling suggests that replicative clamps mediate strand specificity either through the ability of MutL homologs to recognize the fixed orientation of the daughter strand relative to one face of the replicative clamps or through parental strand-specific diffusion of replicative clamps on DNA, which places the daughter strand in the MutL homolog endonuclease active site. Finally, identification of bacteria that appear to lack strand discrimination mediated by a replicative clamp and a pre-existing nick suggest that other strand discrimination mechanisms exist or that these organisms perform MMR by generating a double-stranded DNA break intermediate, which may be analogous to NucS-mediated MMR.

Clostridioides difficile specific DNA adenine methyltransferase CamA squeezes and flips adenine out of DNA helix

Clostridioides difficile infections are an urgent medical problem. The newly discovered C. difficile adenine methyltransferase A (CamA) is specified by all C. difficile genomes sequenced to date (>300), but is rare among other bacteria. CamA is an orphan methyltransferase, unassociated with a restriction endonuclease. CamA-mediated methylation at CAAAAA is required for normal sporulation, biofilm formation, and intestinal colonization by C. difficile. We characterized CamA kinetic parameters, and determined its structure bound to DNA containing the recognition sequence. CamA contains an N-terminal domain for catalyzing methyl transfer, and a C-terminal DNA recognition domain. Major and minor groove DNA contacts in the recognition site involve base-specific hydrogen bonds, van der Waals contacts and the Watson-Crick pairing of a rearranged A:T base pair. These provide sufficient sequence discrimination to ensure high specificity. Finally, the surprisingly weak binding of the methyl donor S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) might provide avenues for inhibiting CamA activity using SAM analogs.

Regulator-dependent temporal dynamics of a restriction-modification system's gene expression upon entering new host cells: single-cell and population studies

Restriction-modification (R-M) systems represent a first line of defense against invasive DNAs, such as bacteriophage DNAs, and are widespread among bacteria and archaea. By acquiring a Type II R-M system via horizontal gene transfer, the new hosts generally become more resistant to phage infection, through the action of a restriction endonuclease (REase), which cleaves DNA at or near specific sequences. A modification methyltransferase (MTase) serves to protect the host genome against its cognate REase activity. The production of R-M system components upon entering a new host cell must be finely tuned to confer protective methylation before the REase acts, to avoid host genome damage. Some type II R-M systems rely on a third component, the controller (C) protein, which is a transcription factor that regulates the production of REase and/or MTase. Previous studies have suggested C protein effects on the dynamics of expression of an R-M system during its establishment in a new host cell. Here, we directly examine these effects. By fluorescently labelling REase and MTase, we demonstrate that lack of a C protein reduces the delay of REase production, to the point of being simultaneous with, or even preceding, production of the MTase. Single molecule tracking suggests that a REase and a MTase employ different strategies for their target search within host cells, with the MTase spending much more time diffusing in proximity to the nucleoid than does the REase. This difference may partially ameliorate the toxic effects of premature REase expression.

Differential DNA methylomes of clinical MDR, XDR and XXDR Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates revealed by using single-molecule real-time sequencing

Post-replicative DNA methylation is essential for diverse biological processes in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis), the causative agent of tuberculosis, remains one of the most formidable threats worldwide. Although DNA methylation of M. tuberculosis has been documented, little information is available for clinical drug-resistant M. tuberculosis. Single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing was used to profile the core methylome of three clinical isolates, namely multidrug-resistant (MDR), extensively drug-resistant (XDR) and extremely drug-resistant (XXDR) strains. 3812, 6808 and 6041 DNA methylated sites were identified in MDR-MTB, XDR-MTB and XXDR-MTB genome, respectively. There are two types of methylated motifs, namely N⁶-methyladenine (m6A) and N⁴-methylcytosine (m4C). A novel widespread 6 mA methylation motif 5'-CACGCAG-3' was found in XDR-MTB and XXDR-MTB. The methylated genes are involved in multiple cellular processes, especially metabolic enzymes engaged in glucose metabolism, fatty acid and TCA cycle. Many methylated genes are involved in mycobacterial virulence, antibiotic resistance and tolerance. This provided a comprehensive list of methylated genes in drug-resistant clinical isolates and the basis for further functional elucidation.

Epigenetic competition reveals density-dependent regulation and target site plasticity of phosphorothioate epigenetics in bacteria

Phosphorothioate (PT) DNA modifications-in which a nonbonding phosphate oxygen is replaced with sulfur-represent a widespread, horizontally transferred epigenetic system in prokaryotes and have a highly unusual property of occupying only a small fraction of available consensus sequences in a genome. Using Salmonella enterica as a model, we asked a question of fundamental importance: How do the PT-modifying DndA-E proteins select their G_PSAAC/G_PSTTC targets? Here, we applied innovative analytical, sequencing, and computational tools to discover a novel behavior for DNA-binding proteins: The Dnd proteins are "parked" at the G^6mATC Dam methyltransferase consensus sequence instead of the expected GAAC/GTTC motif, with removal of the ^6mA permitting extensive PT modification of GATC sites. This shift in modification sites further revealed a surprising constancy in the density of PT modifications across the genome. Computational analysis showed that GAAC, GTTC, and GATC share common features of DNA shape, which suggests that PT epigenetics are regulated in a density-dependent manner partly by DNA shape-driven target selection in the genome.

The bacterial epigenome

In all domains of life, genomes contain epigenetic information superimposed over the nucleotide sequence. Epigenetic signals control DNA-protein interactions and can cause phenotypic change in the absence of mutation. A nearly universal mechanism of epigenetic signalling is DNA methylation. In bacteria, DNA methylation has roles in genome defence, chromosome replication and segregation, nucleoid organization, cell cycle control, DNA repair and regulation of transcription. In many bacterial species, DNA methylation controls reversible switching (phase variation) of gene expression, a phenomenon that generates phenotypic cell variants. The formation of epigenetic lineages enables the adaptation of bacterial populations to harsh or changing environments and modulates the interaction of pathogens with their eukaryotic hosts.

A CsrA-Binding, trans-Acting sRNA of Coxiella burnetii Is Necessary for Optimal Intracellular Growth and Vacuole Formation during Early Infection of Host Cells

Coxiella burnetii is an obligate intracellular gammaproteobacterium and zoonotic agent of Q fever. We previously identified 15 small noncoding RNAs (sRNAs) of C. burnetii One of them, CbsR12 (Coxiella burnetii small RNA 12), is highly transcribed during axenic growth and becomes more prominent during infection of cultured mammalian cells. Secondary structure predictions of CbsR12 revealed four putative CsrA-binding sites in stem loops with consensus AGGA/ANGGA motifs. We subsequently determined that CbsR12 binds to recombinant C. burnetii CsrA-2, but not CsrA-1, proteins in vitro Moreover, through a combination of in vitro and cell culture assays, we identified several in trans mRNA targets of CbsR12. Of these, we determined that CbsR12 binds and upregulates translation of carA transcripts coding for carbamoyl phosphate synthetase A, an enzyme that catalyzes the first step of pyrimidine biosynthesis. In addition, CbsR12 binds and downregulates translation of metK transcripts coding for S-adenosylmethionine synthetase, a component of the methionine cycle. Furthermore, we found that CbsR12 binds to and downregulates the quantity of cvpD transcripts, coding for a type IVB effector protein, in mammalian cell culture. Finally, we found that CbsR12 is necessary for expansion of Coxiella-containing vacuoles and affects growth rates in a dose-dependent manner in the early phase of infecting THP-1 cells. This is the first characterization of a trans-acting sRNA of C. burnetii and the first example of a bacterial sRNA that regulates both CarA and MetK synthesis. CbsR12 is one of only a few identified trans-acting sRNAs that interacts with CsrA.IMPORTANCE Regulation of metabolism and virulence in C. burnetii is not well understood. Here, we show that C. burnetii small RNA 12 (CbsR12) is highly transcribed in the metabolically active large-cell variant compared to the nonreplicative small-cell variant. We show that CbsR12 directly regulates several genes involved in metabolism, along with a type IV effector gene, in trans In addition, we demonstrate that CbsR12 binds to CsrA-2 in vitro and induces autoaggregation and biofilm formation when transcribed ectopically in Escherichia coli, consistent with other CsrA-sequestering sRNAs. These results implicate CbsR12 in the indirect regulation of a number of genes via CsrA-mediated regulatory activities. The results also support CbsR12 as a crucial regulatory component early on in a mammalian cell infection.

Dam mutants provide improved sensitivity and spatial resolution for profiling transcription factor binding

DamID, in which a protein of interest is fused to Dam methylase, enables mapping of protein-DNA binding through readout of adenine methylation in genomic DNA. DamID offers a compelling alternative to chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-Seq), particularly in cases where cell number or antibody availability is limiting. This comes at a cost, however, of high non-specific signal and a lowered spatial resolution of several kb, limiting its application to transcription factor-DNA binding. Here we show that mutations in Dam, when fused to the transcription factor Tcf7l2, greatly reduce non-specific methylation. Combined with a simplified DamID sequencing protocol, we find that these Dam mutants allow for accurate detection of transcription factor binding at a sensitivity and spatial resolution closely matching that seen in ChIP-seq.

Mapping transcription factor occupancy using minimal numbers of cells in vitro and in vivo

The identification of transcription factor (TF) binding sites in the genome is critical to understanding gene regulatory networks (GRNs). While ChIP-seq is commonly used to identify TF targets, it requires specific ChIP-grade antibodies and high cell numbers, often limiting its applicability. DNA adenine methyltransferase identification (DamID), developed and widely used in Drosophila, is a distinct technology to investigate protein–DNA interactions. Unlike ChIP-seq, it does not require antibodies, precipitation steps, or chemical protein–DNA crosslinking, but to date it has been seldom used in mammalian cells due to technical limitations. Here we describe an optimized DamID method coupled with next-generation sequencing (DamID-seq) in mouse cells and demonstrate the identification of the binding sites of two TFs, POU5F1 (also known as OCT4) and SOX2, in as few as 1000 embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and neural stem cells (NSCs), respectively. Furthermore, we have applied this technique in vivo for the first time in mammals. POU5F1 DamID-seq in the gastrulating mouse embryo at 7.5 d post coitum (dpc) successfully identified multiple POU5F1 binding sites proximal to genes involved in embryo development, neural tube formation, and mesoderm-cardiac tissue development, consistent with the pivotal role of this TF in post-implantation embryo. This technology paves the way to unprecedented investigation of TF–DNA interactions and GRNs in specific cell types of limited availability in mammals, including in vivo samples.

DNA methyltransferases and epigenetic regulation in bacteria

Epigenetics is a change in gene expression that is heritable without a change in DNA sequence itself. This phenomenon is well studied in eukaryotes, particularly in humans for its role in cellular differentiation, X chromosome inactivation and diseases like cancer. However, comparatively little is known about epigenetic regulation in bacteria. Bacterial epigenetics is mainly present in the form of DNA methylation where DNA methyltransferases add methyl groups to nucleotides. This review focuses on two methyltransferases well characterized for their roles in gene regulation: Dam and CcrM. Dam methyltransferase in Escherichia coli is important for expression of certain genes such as the pap operon, as well as other cellular processes like DNA replication initiation and DNA repair. In Caulobacter crescentus and other Alphaproteobacteria, the methyltransferase CcrM is cell cycle regulated and is involved in the cell-cycle-dependent regulation of several genes. The diversity of regulatory targets as well as regulatory mechanisms suggests that gene regulation by methylation could be a widespread and potent method of regulation in bacteria.

A role for the bacterial GATC methylome in antibiotic stress survival

Antibiotic resistance is an increasingly serious public health threat¹. Understanding pathways allowing bacteria to survive antibiotic stress may unveil new therapeutic targets^2–8. We explore the role of the bacterial epigenome in antibiotic stress survival using classical genetic tools and single-molecule real-time sequencing to characterize genomic methylation kinetics. We find that Escherichia coli survival under antibiotic pressure is severely compromised without adenine methylation at GATC sites. While the adenine methylome remains stable during drug stress, without GATC methylation, methyl-dependent mismatch repair (MMR) is deleterious, and fueled by the drug-induced error-prone polymerase PolIV, overwhelms cells with toxic DNA breaks. In multiple E. coli strains, including pathogenic and drug-resistant clinical isolates, DNA adenine methyltransferase deficiency potentiates antibiotics from the β-lactam and quinolone classes. This work indicates that the GATC methylome provides structural support for bacterial survival during antibiotics stress and suggests targeting bacterial DNA methylation as a viable approach to enhancing antibiotic activity.

Bacterial DNA Methylation and Methylomes

Formation of C5-methylcytosine, N4-methylcytosine, and N6-methyladenine in bacterial genomes is postreplicative and involves transfer of a methyl group from S-adenosyl-methionine to a base embedded in a specific DNA sequence context. Most bacterial DNA methyltransferases belong to restriction-modification systems; in addition, "solitary" or "orphan" DNA methyltransferases are frequently found in the genomes of bacteria and phage. Base methylation can affect the interaction of DNA-binding proteins with their cognate sites, either by a direct effect (e.g., steric hindrance) or by changes in DNA topology. In both Alphaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria, the roles of DNA base methylation are especially well known for N6-methyladenine, including control of chromosome replication, nucleoid segregation, postreplicative correction of DNA mismatches, cell cycle-coupled transcription, formation of bacterial cell lineages, and regulation of bacterial virulence. Technical procedures that permit genome-wide analysis of DNA methylation are nowadays expanding our knowledge of the extent, evolution, and physiological significance of bacterial DNA methylation.

N6-Methyladenine: A Conserved and Dynamic DNA Mark

Chromatin, consisting of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) wrapped around histone proteins, facilitates DNA compaction and allows identical DNA codes to confer many different cellular phenotypes. This biological versatility is accomplished in large part by posttranslational modifications to histones and chemical modifications to DNA. These modifications direct the cellular machinery to expand or compact specific chromatin regions and mark regions of the DNA as important for cellular functions. While each of the four bases that make up DNA can be modified (Iyer et al. 2011), this chapter will focus on methylation of the sixth position on adenines (6mA), as this modification has been poorly characterized in recently evolved eukaryotes, but shows promise as a new conserved layer of epigenetic regulation. 6mA was previously thought to be restricted to unicellular organisms, but recent work has revealed its presence in metazoa. Here, we will briefly describe the history of 6mA, examine its evolutionary conservation, and evaluate the current methods for detecting 6mA. We will discuss the enzymes that bind and regulate this mark and finally examine known and potential functions of 6mA in eukaryotes.

DamID Analysis of Nuclear Organization in Caenorhabditis elegans

The development of genomics and next generation sequencing platforms has dramatically improved our insight into chromatin structure and organization and its fine interplay with gene expression. The nuclear envelope has emerged as a key component in nuclear organization via extensive contacts between the genome and numerous proteins at the nuclear periphery. These contacts may have profound effects on gene expression as well as cell proliferation and differentiation. Indeed, their perturbations are associated with several human pathologies known as laminopathies or nuclear envelopathies. However, due to their dynamic behavior the contacts between nuclear envelope proteins and chromatin are challenging to identify, in particular in intact tissues. Here, we propose the DamID technique as an attractive method to globally characterize chromatin organization in the popular model organism Caenorhabditis elegans. DamID is based on the in vivo expression of a chromatin-associated protein of interest fused to the Escherichia coli DNA adenine methyltransferase, which produces unique identification tags at binding site in the genome. This marking is simple, highly specific and can be mapped by sensitive enzymatic and next generation sequencing approaches.

DNA Methylation

The DNA of Escherichia coli contains 19,120 6-methyladenines and 12,045 5-methylcytosines in addition to the four regular bases, and these are formed by the postreplicative action of three DNA methyltransferases. The majority of the methylated bases are formed by the Dam and Dcm methyltransferases encoded by the dam (DNA adenine methyltransferase) and dcm (DNA cytosine methyltransferase) genes. Although not essential, Dam methylation is important for strand discrimination during the repair of replication errors, controlling the frequency of initiation of chromosome replication at oriC, and the regulation of transcription initiation at promoters containing GATC sequences. In contrast, there is no known function for Dcm methylation, although Dcm recognition sites constitute sequence motifs for Very Short Patch repair of T/G base mismatches. In certain bacteria (e.g., Vibrio cholerae, Caulobacter crescentus) adenine methylation is essential, and, in C. crescentus, it is important for temporal gene expression, which, in turn, is required for coordinating chromosome initiation, replication, and division. In practical terms, Dam and Dcm methylation can inhibit restriction enzyme cleavage, decrease transformation frequency in certain bacteria, and decrease the stability of short direct repeats and are necessary for site-directed mutagenesis and to probe eukaryotic structure and function.

Chromosomal directionality of DNA mismatch repair in Escherichia coli

Defects in DNA mismatch repair (MMR) result in elevated mutagenesis and in cancer predisposition. This disease burden arises because MMR is required to correct errors made in the copying of DNA. MMR is bidirectional at the level of DNA strand polarity as it operates equally well in the 5' to 3' and the 3' to 5' directions. However, the directionality of MMR with respect to the chromosome, which comprises parental DNA strands of opposite polarity, has been unknown. Here, we show that MMR in Escherichia coli is unidirectional with respect to the chromosome. Our data demonstrate that, following the recognition of a 3-bp insertion-deletion loop mismatch, the MMR machinery searches for the first hemimethylated GATC site located on its origin-distal side, toward the replication fork, and that resection then proceeds back toward the mismatch and away from the replication fork. This study provides support for a tight coupling between MMR and DNA replication.

Mechanisms of diffusional search for specific targets by DNA-dependent proteins

To perform their functions, many DNA-dependent proteins have to quickly locate specific targets against the vast excess of nonspecific DNA. Although this problem was first formulated over 40 years ago, the mechanism of such search remains one of the unsolved fundamental problems in the field of protein-DNA interactions. Several complementary mechanisms have been suggested: sliding, based on one-dimensional random diffusion along the DNA contour; hopping, in which the protein "jumps" between the closely located DNA fragments; macroscopic association-dissociation of the protein-DNA complex; and intersegmental transfer. This review covers the modern state of the problem of target DNA search, theoretical descriptions, and methods of research at the macroscopic (molecule ensembles) and microscopic (individual molecules) levels. Almost all studied DNA-dependent proteins search for specific targets by combined three-dimensional diffusion and one-dimensional diffusion along the DNA contour.

RUNX1 positively regulates a cell adhesion and migration program in murine hemogenic endothelium prior to blood emergence

During ontogeny, the transcription factor RUNX1 governs the emergence of definitive hematopoietic cells from specialized endothelial cells called hemogenic endothelium (HE). The ultimate consequence of this endothelial-to-hematopoietic transition is the concomitant activation of the hematopoietic program and downregulation of the endothelial program. However, due to the rare and transient nature of the HE, little is known about the initial role of RUNX1 within this population. We, therefore, developed and implemented a highly sensitive DNA adenine methyltransferase identification-based methodology, including a novel data analysis pipeline, to map early RUNX1 transcriptional targets in HE cells. This novel transcription factor binding site identification protocol should be widely applicable to other low abundance cell types and factors. Integration of the RUNX1 binding profile with gene expression data revealed an unexpected early role for RUNX1 as a positive regulator of cell adhesion- and migration-associated genes within the HE. This suggests that RUNX1 orchestrates HE cell positioning and integration prior to the release of hematopoietic cells. Overall, our genome-wide analysis of the RUNX1 binding and transcriptional profile in the HE provides a novel comprehensive resource of target genes that will facilitate the precise dissection of the role of RUNX1 in early blood development.

Cooperative DNA binding and protein/DNA fiber formation increases the activity of the Dnmt3a DNA methyltransferase

The Dnmt3a DNA methyltransferase has been shown to bind cooperatively to DNA and to form large multimeric protein/DNA fibers. However, it has also been reported to methylate DNA in a processive manner, a property that is incompatible with protein/DNA fiber formation. We show here that the DNA methylation rate of Dnmt3a increases more than linearly with increasing enzyme concentration on a long DNA substrate, but not on a short 30-mer oligonucleotide substrate. We also show that addition of a catalytically inactive Dnmt3a mutant, which carries an amino acid exchange in the catalytic center, increases the DNA methylation rate by wild type Dnmt3a on the long substrate but not on the short one. In agreement with this finding, preincubation experiments indicate that stable protein/DNA fibers are formed on the long, but not on the short substrate. In addition, methylation experiments with substrates containing one or two CpG sites did not provide evidence for a processive mechanism over a wide range of enzyme concentrations. These data clearly indicate that Dnmt3a binds to DNA in a cooperative reaction and that the formation of stable protein/DNA fibers increases the DNA methylation rate. Fiber formation occurs at low μm concentrations of Dnmt3a, which are in the range of Dnmt3a concentrations in the nucleus of embryonic stem cells. Understanding the mechanism of Dnmt3a is of vital importance because Dnmt3a is a hotspot of somatic cancer mutations one of which has been implicated in changing Dnmt3a processivity.

The methylome of the gut microbiome: disparate Dam methylation patterns in intestinal Bacteroides dorei

Despite the large interest in the human microbiome in recent years, there are no reports of bacterial DNA methylation in the microbiome. Here metagenomic sequencing using the Pacific Biosciences platform allowed for rapid identification of bacterial GATC methylation status of a bacterial species in human stool samples. For this work, two stool samples were chosen that were dominated by a single species, Bacteroides dorei. Based on 16S rRNA analysis, this species represented over 45% of the bacteria present in these two samples. The B. dorei genome sequence from these samples was determined and the GATC methylation sites mapped. The Bacteroides dorei genome from one subject lacked any GATC methylation and lacked the DNA adenine methyltransferase genes. In contrast, B. dorei from another subject contained 20,551 methylated GATC sites. Of the 4970 open reading frames identified in the GATC methylated B. dorei genome, 3184 genes were methylated as well as 1735 GATC methylations in intergenic regions. These results suggest that DNA methylation patterns are important to consider in multi-omic analyses of microbiome samples seeking to discover the diversity of bacterial functions and may differ between disease states.

Mechanistic insights into small RNA recognition and modification by the HEN1 methyltransferase

The HEN1 methyltransferase from Arabidopsis thaliana modifies the 3'-terminal nucleotides of small regulatory RNAs. Although it is one of the best characterized members of the 2'-O-methyltransferase family, many aspects of its interactions with the cofactor and substrate RNA remained unresolved. To better understand the substrate interactions and contributions of individual steps during HEN1 catalysis, we studied the binding and methylation kinetics of the enzyme using a series of unmethylated, hemimethylated and doubly methylated miRNA and siRNA substrates. The present study shows that HEN1 specifically binds double-stranded unmethylated or hemimethylated miR173/miR173* substrates with a subnanomolar affinity in a cofactor-dependent manner. Kinetic studies under single turnover and pre-steady state conditions in combination with isotope partitioning analysis showed that the binary HEN1-miRNA/miRNA* complex is catalytically competent; however, successive methylation of the two strands in a RNA duplex occurs in a non-processive (distributive) manner. We also find that the observed moderate methylation strand preference is largely exerted at the RNA-binding step and is fairly independent of the nature of the 3'-terminal nucleobase, but shows some dependency on proximal nucleotide mispairs. The results of the present study thus provide novel insights into the mechanism of RNA recognition and modification by a representative small RNA 2'-O-methyltransferase.

Role of DNA methyltransferases in epigenetic regulation in bacteria

In prokaryotes, alteration in gene expression was observed with the modification of DNA, especially DNA methylation. Such changes are inherited from generation to generation with no alterations in the DNA sequence and represent the epigenetic signal in prokaryotes. DNA methyltransferases are enzymes involved in DNA modification and thus in epigenetic regulation of gene expression. DNA methylation not only affects the thermodynamic stability of DNA, but also changes its curvature. Methylation of specific residues on DNA can affect the protein-DNA interactions. DNA methylation in prokaryotes regulates a number of physiological processes in the bacterial cell including transcription, DNA mismatch repair and replication initiation. Significantly, many reports have suggested a role of DNA methylation in regulating the expression of a number of genes in virulence and pathogenesis thus, making DNA methlytransferases novel targets for the designing of therapeutics. Here, we summarize the current knowledge about the influence of DNA methylation on gene regulation in different bacteria, and on bacterial virulence.

DNA methyltransferases: mechanistic models derived from kinetic analysis

The sequence-specific transfer of methyl groups from donor S-adenosyl-L-methionine (AdoMet) to certain positions of DNA-adenine or -cytosine residues by DNA methyltransferases (MTases) is a major form of epigenetic modification. It is virtually ubiquitous, except for some notable exceptions. Site-specific methylation can be regarded as a means to increase DNA information capacity and is involved in a large spectrum of biological processes. The importance of these functions necessitates a deeper understanding of the enzymatic mechanism(s) of DNA methylation. DNA MTases fall into one of two general classes; viz. amino-MTases and [C5-cytosine]-MTases. Amino-MTases, common in prokaryotes and lower eukaryotes, catalyze methylation of the exocyclic amino group of adenine ([N6-adenine]-MTase) or cytosine ([N4-cytosine]-MTase). In contrast, [C5-cytosine]-MTases methylate the cyclic carbon-5 atom of cytosine. Characteristics of DNA MTases are highly variable, differing in their affinity to their substrates or reaction products, their kinetic parameters, or other characteristics (order of substrate binding, rate limiting step in the overall reaction). It is not possible to present a unifying account of the published kinetic analyses of DNA methylation because different authors have used different substrate DNAs and/or reaction conditions. Nevertheless, it would be useful to describe those kinetic data and the mechanistic models that have been derived from them. Thus, this review considers in turn studies carried out with the most consistently and extensively investigated [N6-adenine]-, [N4-cytosine]- and [C5-cytosine]-DNA MTases.

The Caulobacter crescentus DNA-(adenine-N6)-methyltransferase CcrM methylates DNA in a distributive manner

The specificity and processivity of DNA methyltransferases have important implications regarding their biological functions. We have investigated the sequence specificity of CcrM and show here that the enzyme has a high specificity for GANTC sites, with only minor preferences at the central position. It slightly prefers hemimethylated DNA, which represents the physiological substrate. In a previous work, CcrM was reported to be highly processive [Berdis et al. (1998) Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 95: 2874-2879]. However upon review of this work, we identified a technical error in the setup of a crucial experiment in this publication, which prohibits making any statement about the processivity of CcrM. In this study, we performed a series of in vitro experiments to study CcrM processivity. We show that it distributively methylates six target sites on the pUC19 plasmid as well as two target sites located on a 129-mer DNA fragment both in unmethylated and hemimethylated state. Reaction quenching experiments confirmed the lack of processivity. We conclude that the original statement that CcrM is processive is no longer valid.

Natural history of eukaryotic DNA methylation systems

Methylation of cytosines and adenines in DNA is a widespread epigenetic mark in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. In eukaryotes, it has a profound influence on chromatin structure and dynamics. Recent advances in genomics and biochemistry have considerably elucidated the functions and provenance of these DNA modifications. DNA methylases appear to have emerged first in bacterial restriction-modification (R-M) systems from ancient RNA-modifying enzymes, in transitions that involved acquisition of novel catalytic residues and DNA-recognition features. DNA adenine methylases appear to have been acquired by ciliates, heterolobosean amoeboflagellates, and certain chlorophyte algae. Six distinct clades of cytosine methylases, including the DNMT1, DNMT2, and DNMT3 clades, were acquired by eukaryotes through independent lateral transfer of their precursors from bacteria or bacteriophages. In addition to these, multiple adenine and cytosine methylases were acquired by several families of eukaryotic transposons. In eukaryotes, the DNA-methylase module was often combined with distinct modified and unmodified peptide recognition domains and other modules mediating specialized interactions, for example, the RFD module of DNMT1 which contains a permuted Sm domain linked to a helix-turn-helix domain. In eukaryotes, the evolution of DNA methylases appears to have proceeded in parallel to the elaboration of histone-modifying enzymes and the RNAi system, with functions related to counter-viral and counter-transposon defense, and regulation of DNA repair and differential gene expression being their primary ancestral functions. Diverse DNA demethylation systems that utilize base-excision repair via DNA glycosylases and cytosine deaminases appear to have emerged in multiple eukaryotic lineages. Comparative genomics suggests that the link between cytosine methylation and DNA glycosylases probably emerged first in a novel R-M system in bacteria. Recent studies suggest that the 5mC is not a terminal DNA modification, with enzymes of the Tet/JBP family of 2-oxoglutarate- and iron-dependent dioxygenases further hydroxylating it to form 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC). These enzymes emerged first in bacteriophages and appear to have been transferred to eukaryotes on one or more occasions. Eukaryotes appear to have recruited three major types of DNA-binding domains (SRA/SAD, TAM/MBD, and CXXC) in discriminating DNA with methylated or unmethylated cytosines. Analysis of the domain architectures of these domains and the DNA methylases suggests that early in eukaryotic evolution they developed a close functional link with SET-domain methylases and Jumonji-related demethylases that operate on peptides in chromatin proteins. In several eukaryotes, other functional connections were elaborated in the form of various combinations between domains related to DNA methylation and those involved in ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling and RNAi. In certain eukaryotes, such as mammals and angiosperms, novel dependencies on the DNA methylation system emerged, which resulted in it affecting unexpected aspects of the biology of these organisms such as parent-offspring interactions. In genomic terms, this was reflected in the emergence of new proteins related to methylation, such as Stella. The well-developed methylation systems of certain heteroloboseans, stramenopiles, chlorophytes, and haptophyte indicate that these might be new model systems to explore the relevance of DNA modifications in eukaryotes.

Mapping in vivo protein-DNA interactions in plants by DamID, a DNA adenine methylation-based method

DamID (DNA adenine methylation identification) is an adenine methylation-based tagging method designed to map protein-DNA interactions in vivo. DamID, an alternative method to chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), is based on the covalent linking of a "fingerprint" in the vicinity of the DNA-binding sites of the protein of interest. The fingerprints can be further mapped by simple molecular approaches. First developed by van Steensel's group in Drosophila melanogaster, DamID was successfully adapted to Arabidopsis thaliana, and its feasibility demonstrated by using the well-known yeast GAL4 transcription factor. The method was further used to establish a genome-wide map of the target sites of LHP1, a regulatory chromatin protein in A. thaliana.

Kinetics of Methylation by EcoP1I DNA Methyltransferase

EcoP1I DNA MTase (M.EcoP1I), an N⁶-adenine MTase from bacteriophage P1, is a part of the EcoP1I restriction-modification (R-M) system which belongs to the Type III R-M system. It recognizes the sequence 5′-AGACC-3′ and methylates the internal adenine. M.EcoP1I requires Mg²⁺ for the transfer of methyl groups to DNA. M.EcoP1I is shown to exist as dimer in solution, and even at high salt concentrations (0.5 M) the dimeric M.EcoP1I does not dissociate into monomers suggesting a strong interaction between the monomer subunits. Preincubation and isotope partitioning studies with M.EcoP1I indicate a kinetic mechanism where the duplex DNA binds first followed by AdoMet. Interestingly, M.EcoP1I methylates DNA substrates in the presence of Mn²⁺ and Ca²⁺ other than Mg²⁺ with varying affinities. Amino acid analysis and methylation assays in the presence of metal ions suggest that M.EcoP1I has indeed two metal ion-binding sites [³⁵⁸ID(x)_n … ExK⁴⁰¹ and ⁶⁰⁰DxDxD⁶⁰⁴ motif]. EcoP1I DNA MTase catalyzes the transfer of methyl groups using a distributive mode of methylation on DNA containing more than one recognition site. A chemical modification of EcoP1I DNA MTase using N-ethylmaleimide resulted in an irreversible inactivation of enzyme activity suggesting the possible role of cysteine residues in catalysis.

Dimeric/oligomeric DNA methyltransferases: an unfinished story

DNA methyltransferases (MTases) are enzymes that carry out post-replicative sequence-specific modifications. The initial experimental data on the structure and kinetic characteristics of the EcoRI MTase led to the paradigm that type II systems comprise dimeric endonucleases and monomeric MTases. In retrospect, this was logical because, while the biological substrate of the restriction endonuclease is two-fold symmetrical, the in vivo substrate for the MTase is generally hemi-methylated and, hence, inherently asymmetric. Thus, the paradigm was extended to include all DNA MTases except the more complex bifunctional type I and type III enzymes. Nevertheless, a gradual enlightenment grew over the last decade that has changed the accepted view on the structure of DNA MTases. These results necessitate a more complex view of the structure and function of these important enzymes.

Epigenetic regulation of the bacterial cell cycle

N(6)-methyl-adenines can serve as epigenetic signals for interactions between regulatory DNA sequences and regulatory proteins that control cellular functions, such as the initiation of chromosome replication or the expression of specific genes. Several of these genes encode master regulators of the bacterial cell cycle. DNA adenine methylation is mediated by Dam in gamma-proteobacteria and by CcrM in alpha-proteobacteria. A major difference between them is that CcrM is cell cycle regulated, while Dam is active throughout the cell cycle. In alpha-proteobacteria, GANTC sites can remain hemi-methylated for a significant period of the cell cycle, depending on their location on the chromosome. In gamma-proteobacteria, most GATC sites are only transiently hemi-methylated, except regulatory GATC sites that are protected from Dam methylation by specific DNA-binding proteins.

Escherichia coli DNA adenine methyltransferase: intrasite processivity and substrate-induced dimerization and activation

Methylation of GATC sites in Escherichia coli by DNA adenine methyltransferase (EcoDam) is essential for proper DNA replication timing, gene regulation, and mismatch repair. The low cellular concentration of EcoDam and the high number of GATC sites in the genome (approximately 20000) support the reliance on methylation efficiency-enhancing strategies such as extensive intersite processivity. Here, we present evidence that EcoDam has evolved other unique mechanisms of activation not commonly observed with restriction-modification methyltransferases. EcoDam dimerizes on short, synthetic DNA, resulting in enhanced catalysis; however, dimerization is not observed on large genomic DNA where the potential for intersite processive methylation precludes any dimerization-dependent activation. An activated form of the enzyme is apparent on large genomic DNA and can also be achieved with high concentrations of short, synthetic substrates. We suggest that this activation is inherent on polymeric DNA where either multiple GATC sites are available for methylation or the partitioning of the enzyme onto nonspecific DNA is favored. Unlike other restriction-modification methyltransferases, EcoDam carries out intrasite processive catalysis whereby the enzyme-DNA complex methylates both strands of an unmethylated GATC site prior to dissociation from the DNA. This occurs with short 21 bp oligonucleotides and is highly dependent upon salt concentrations. Kinetic modeling which invokes enzyme activation by both dimerization and excess substrate provides mechanistic insights into key regulatory checkpoints for an enzyme involved in multiple, diverse biological pathways.

Changing the DNA recognition specificity of the EcoDam DNA-(adenine-N6)-methyltransferase by directed evolution

EcoDam is an adenine-N6 DNA methyltransferase that methylates the GATC sites in the Escherichia coli genome. We have changed the target specificity of EcoDam from GATC to GATT by directed evolution, combining different random mutagenesis methods with restriction protection at GATT sites for selection and screening. By co-evolution of an enzyme library and a substrate library, we identified GATT as the best non-GATC site and discover a double mutation, R124S/P134S, as the first step to increase enzyme activity at GATT sites. After four generations of mutagenesis and selection, we obtained enzyme variants with new specificity for GATT. While the wild-type EcoDam shows no detectable activity at GATT sites in E. coli cells, some variants prefer methylation at GATT over GATC sites by about 10-fold in cells. In vitro DNA methylation kinetics carried out under single-turnover conditions using a hemimethylated GATC and a GATT oligonucleotide substrate confirmed that the evolved proteins prefer methylation of GATT sites to a similar degree. They show up to 1600-fold change in specificity in vitro and methylate the new GATT target site with 20% of the rate of GATC methylation by the wild-type enzyme, indicating good activity. We conclude that the new methyltransferases are fully functional in vivo and in vitro but show a new target-site specificity.

DNA Methylation

The DNA of Escherichia coli contains 19,120 6-methyladenines and 12,045 5-methylcytosines in addition to the four regular bases, and these are formed by the postreplicative action of three DNA methyltransferases. The majority of the methylated bases are formed by the Dam and Dcmmethyltransferases encoded by the dam (DNA adenine methyltransferase) and dcm (DNA cytosine methyltransferase) genes. Although not essential, Dam methylation is important for strand discrimination during repair of replication errors, controlling the frequency of initiation of chromosome replication at oriC, and regulation of transcription initiation at promoters containing GATC sequences. In contrast, there is no known function for Dcm methylation, although Dcm recognition sites constitute sequence motifs for Very Short Patch repair of T/G base mismatches. In certain bacteria (e.g., Vibrio cholera and Caulobactercrescentus) adenine methylation is essential, and in C.crescentus it is important for temporal gene expression which, in turn, is required for coordination of chromosome initiation, replication, and division. In practical terms, Dam and Dcm methylation can inhibit restriction enzyme cleavage,decrease transformation frequency in certain bacteria,and decrease the stability of short direct repeats andare necessary for site-directed mutagenesis and to probe eukaryotic structure and function.