Molecular Info®

Molecular Info® Copy Right © 2001 Institute of Molecular Development LLC

A histone H3 methyltransferase controls DNA methylation in Neurospora crassa. HISASHI TAMARU AND ERIC U. SELKER The Nature, November 2001, 414: 277 - 283. DNA methylation is involved in epigenetic processes such as X-chromosome inactivation, imprinting and silencing of transposons. dim-2 encodes a DNA methyltransferase that is responsible for all known cytosine methylation in Neurospora crassa. Another Neurospora gene, dim-5, is required for DNA methylation, as well as for normal growth and full fertility. dim-5 has a SET domain of a gene related to histone methyltransferases that are involved in heterochromatin formation in other organisms. Recombinant DIM-5 protein specifically methylates histone H3.