DNA (cytosine-5)-methyltransferase 1 is an
enzyme
Enzymes () are proteins that act as biological catalysts by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different molecules known as products. A ...
that catalyzes the transfer of methyl groups to specific
CpG structures in DNA, a process called
DNA methylation
DNA methylation is a biological process by which methyl groups are added to the DNA molecule. Methylation can change the activity of a DNA segment without changing the sequence. When located in a gene promoter, DNA methylation typically acts t ...
. In humans, it is encoded by the ''DNMT1''
gene
In biology, the word gene (from , ; "...Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a ba ...
.
DNMT1 forms part of the family of
DNA methyltransferase
In biochemistry, the DNA methyltransferase (DNA MTase, DNMT) family of enzymes catalyze the transfer of a methyl group to DNA. DNA methylation serves a wide variety of biological functions. All the known DNA methyltransferases use S-adenosyl m ...
enzymes, which consists primarily of DNMT1,
DNMT3A
DNA (cytosine-5)-methyltransferase 3A is an enzyme that catalyzes the transfer of methyl groups to specific CpG structures in DNA, a process called DNA methylation. The enzyme is encoded in humans by the DNMT3A gene.
This enzyme is responsible f ...
, and
DNMT3B
DNA (cytosine-5)-methyltransferase 3 beta, is an enzyme that in humans in encoded by the DNMT3B gene. Mutation in this gene are associated with immunodeficiency, centromere instability and facial anomalies syndrome.
Function
CpG methylation i ...
.
Function
This enzyme is responsible for maintaining DNA methylation, which ensures the fidelity of this
epigenetic
In biology, epigenetics is the study of stable phenotypic changes (known as ''marks'') that do not involve alterations in the DNA sequence. The Greek prefix '' epi-'' ( "over, outside of, around") in ''epigenetics'' implies features that are "o ...
patterns across cell divisions. In line with this role, it has a strong preference towards methylating CpGs on hemimethylated DNA. However, Dnmt1 can catalyze de novo DNA methylation in specific genomic contexts, including transposable elements and paternal imprint control regions. Aberrant methylation patterns are associated with certain human tumors and developmental abnormalities.
See also
*
DNA methyltransferase
In biochemistry, the DNA methyltransferase (DNA MTase, DNMT) family of enzymes catalyze the transfer of a methyl group to DNA. DNA methylation serves a wide variety of biological functions. All the known DNA methyltransferases use S-adenosyl m ...
Interactions
DNMT1 has been shown to
interact
Advocates for Informed Choice, dba interACT or interACT Advocates for Intersex Youth, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization using innovative strategies to advocate for the legal and human rights of children with intersex traits. The organizati ...
with UHRF1,:
*
DMAP1
DNA methyltransferase 1-associated protein 1 is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the ''DMAP1'' gene.
Function
This gene encodes a subunit of several, distinct complexes involved in the repression or activation of transcription. The encod ...
,
[
* ]DNMT3A
DNA (cytosine-5)-methyltransferase 3A is an enzyme that catalyzes the transfer of methyl groups to specific CpG structures in DNA, a process called DNA methylation. The enzyme is encoded in humans by the DNMT3A gene.
This enzyme is responsible f ...
DNMT3B
DNA (cytosine-5)-methyltransferase 3 beta, is an enzyme that in humans in encoded by the DNMT3B gene. Mutation in this gene are associated with immunodeficiency, centromere instability and facial anomalies syndrome.
Function
CpG methylation i ...
,HDAC2
Histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the ''HDAC2'' gene. It belongs to the histone deacetylase class of enzymes responsible for the removal of acetyl groups from lysine residues at the N-terminal region of the co ...
,PCNA
Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) is a DNA clamp that acts as a processivity factor for DNA polymerase δ in eukaryotic cells and is essential for replication. PCNA is a homotrimer and achieves its processivity by encircling the DNA, wh ...
,G9A
Euchromatic histone-lysine N-methyltransferase 2 (EHMT2), also known as G9a, is a histone methyltransferase enzyme that in humans is encoded by the ''EHMT2'' gene. G9a catalyzes the mono- and di-methylated states of histone H3 at lysine residue 9 ...
Model organisms
Knockout experiments have shown that this enzyme is responsible for the bulk of methylation in mouse cells, and it is essential for embryonic development. It has also been shown that a lack of both maternal and zygotic ''Dnmt1'' results in complete demethylation of imprinted genes in blastocysts.
Clinical significance
DNMT1 plays a critical role in Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) maintenance. HSCs with reduced DNMT1 fail to self-renew efficiently post-transplantation. It has also been shown to be critical for other stem cell types such as Intestinal stem cells (ISCs) and Mammary stem cells (MaSCs). Conditional deletion of DNMT1 results in overall intestinal hypomethylation, crypt expansion and altered differentiation timing of ISCs, and proliferation and maintenance of MaSCs.
References
Further reading
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
{{refend
External links
GeneReviews/NCBI/NIH/UW entry on DNMT1-Related Dementia, Deafness, and Sensory Neuropathy