Cloning of the Haemophilus influenzae Dam methyltransferase and analysis of its relationship to the Dam methyltransferase encoded by the HP1 phage.

• Authors: Janusz M Bujnicki , Monika Radlińska , Piotr Zaleski , Andrzej Piekarowicz
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

In this paper we report cloning and experimental characterization of the DNA adenine methyltransferase (dam) gene from Haemophilus influenzae and comparison of ts product with the Dam protein from the lysogenic phage of H. influenzae, HP1. Molecular modeling of M.HinDam and M.HP1Dam was carried out, providing a framework for a comparative analysis of these enzymes and their close homologs in the tructural context. Both proteins share the common fold and essential cofactor-bind ng and catalytic residues despite overall divergence. However, subtle but significant differences in the cofactor-binding pocket have been identified. Moreover, while M.HinDam seems to contact its target DNA sequence using a number of loops, most of them are missing from M.HP1Dam. Analysis of both MTases suggests that their catalytic activity was derived from a common ancestor, but similar sequence specificities rose by convergence.

Keywords

EN

protein structure; sequence specificity; DNA methyltransferase; bioinformatics; molecular evolution

• Publisher: Polish Biochemical Society
• Journal: Acta Biochimica Polonica
• Year: 2001
• Volume: 48
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 969-983

Dates

published

2001

received

2001-09-24

accepted

2001-12-3

Contributors

author

Janusz M Bujnicki

• Bioinformatics Laboratory, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, ks. Trojdena 4, 02-109 Warszawa, Poland

author

Monika Radlińska

• Institute of Microbiology, Warsaw University, Miecznikowa 1, 02-093 Warszawa, Poland

author

Piotr Zaleski

• Institute of Microbiology, Warsaw University, Miecznikowa 1, 02-093 Warszawa, Poland

author

Andrzej Piekarowicz

• Institute of Microbiology, Warsaw University, Miecznikowa 1, 02-093 Warszawa, Poland

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