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5-Methylcytosine localised in mammalian constitutive heterochromatin

Nature volume 251, pages 636–637 (1974)Cite this article

Abstract

DEOXY-5-METHYLCYTIDYLIC acid (5-MeC) is an almost universal, although minor component of DNA in plants and animals. It makes up 4–7% of the bases in plants1, no more than 1.5% of the bases in the mouse2 and even less in the human3. 5-MeC itself is not incorporated directly into DNA. Instead, specific deoxycytidylic acid residues in preformed DNA are methylated enzymatically by a highly specific DNA methylase, which transfers a methyl group from S-adenosyl methionine to specific sites in DNA4. In the mouse, as in other mammals, virtually all of the 5-MeC is in the 5-MeCpG doublet5, which is distributed non-randomly in the DNA. Mouse satellite DNA contains about 3% 5-MeC in comparison to about 1.3% in main band DNA2 amd is located at the centromeric end of nearly every chromosome6.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Human Genetics and Development, Obstetrics and Gynecology and Microbiology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York, 10032

    ORLANDO J. MILLER, WOLFGANG SCHNEDL, JULIAN ALLEN & BERNARD F. ERLANGER

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  1. ORLANDO J. MILLER
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  2. WOLFGANG SCHNEDL
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  3. JULIAN ALLEN
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  4. BERNARD F. ERLANGER
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MILLER, O., SCHNEDL, W., ALLEN, J. et al. 5-Methylcytosine localised in mammalian constitutive heterochromatin. Nature 251, 636–637 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1038/251636a0

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