Functional CpG methylation system in a social insect.

Ying Wang; Mireia Jorda; Peter L Jones; Ryszard Maleszka; Xu Ling; Hugh M Robertson; Craig A Mizzen; Miguel A Peinado; Gene E Robinson

doi:10.1126/science.1135213

PubMed · 17068262

Functional CpG methylation system in a social insect.

Ying Wang·Mireia Jorda·Peter L Jones·Ryszard Maleszka·Xu Ling·Hugh M Robertson·Craig A Mizzen·Miguel A Peinado·Gene E Robinson

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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.

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Amino Acid Sequence Animals Base Composition Bees Computational Biology DNA DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases DNA Methylation DNA-Binding Proteins Dinucleoside Phosphates Genes, Insect Genome, Insect Insect Proteins Molecular Sequence Data Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

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Ying Wang, Mireia Jorda, Peter L Jones, Ryszard Maleszka, Xu Ling, Hugh M Robertson, Craig A Mizzen, Miguel A Peinado, Gene E Robinson. 2006-10-27. Functional CpG methylation system in a social insect.. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1135213

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