Biomaterial Database

Methylated bases in mycoplasmal DNA. 1980

A Razin, and S Razin

The DNAs of four Mycoplasma and one Acholeplasma species were found to contain methylated bases. All of the five species contained 6-methyladenine (m6Ade), the methylated base characteristic of prokaryotic DNA. The extent of methylation of adenine residues in the mycoplasmal DNA ranged from 0.2% in Mycoplasma capricolum to about 2% in Mycoplasma arginini and Mycoplasma hyorhinis with intermediate methylation values for Mycoplasma orale and Acholeplasma laidlawii DNAs. About 5.8% of the cytosine residues in M. hyorhinis DNA were methylated also. Analysis of cell culture DNA for the presence of m6Ade as a means for detection of contamination by mycoplasmas, and the phylogenetic implications of the finding of methylated bases in mycoplasmal DNAs are discussed.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008745	Methylation	Addition of methyl groups. In histo-chemistry methylation is used to esterify carboxyl groups and remove sulfate groups by treating tissue sections with hot methanol in the presence of hydrochloric acid. (From Stedman, 25th ed)	Methylations
D009174	Mycoplasma	A genus of gram-negative, mostly facultatively anaerobic bacteria in the family MYCOPLASMATACEAE. The cells are bounded by a PLASMA MEMBRANE and lack a true CELL WALL. Its organisms are pathogens found on the MUCOUS MEMBRANES of humans, ANIMALS, and BIRDS.	Eperythrozoon,Haemobartonella,Mycoplasma putrefaciens,PPLO,Pleuropneumonia-Like Organisms,Pleuropneumonia Like Organisms
D003596	Cytosine	A pyrimidine base that is a fundamental unit of nucleic acids.
D004269	DNA, Bacterial	Deoxyribonucleic acid that makes up the genetic material of bacteria.	Bacterial DNA
D000128	Acholeplasma laidlawii	An organism originally isolated from sewage, manure, humus, and soil, but recently found as a parasite in mammals and birds.	Mycoplasma laidlawii
D000225	Adenine	A purine base and a fundamental unit of ADENINE NUCLEOTIDES.	Vitamin B 4,4, Vitamin B,B 4, Vitamin
D001482	Base Composition	The relative amounts of the PURINES and PYRIMIDINES in a nucleic acid.	Base Ratio,G+C Composition,Guanine + Cytosine Composition,G+C Content,GC Composition,GC Content,Guanine + Cytosine Content,Base Compositions,Base Ratios,Composition, Base,Composition, G+C,Composition, GC,Compositions, Base,Compositions, G+C,Compositions, GC,Content, G+C,Content, GC,Contents, G+C,Contents, GC,G+C Compositions,G+C Contents,GC Compositions,GC Contents,Ratio, Base,Ratios, Base
D044503	5-Methylcytosine	A methylated nucleotide base found in eukaryotic DNA. In ANIMALS, the DNA METHYLATION of CYTOSINE to form 5-methylcytosine is found primarily in the palindromic sequence CpG. In PLANTS, the methylated sequence is CpNpGp, where N can be any base.	5-Methylcytosine Monohydrochloride,5 Methylcytosine,5 Methylcytosine Monohydrochloride,Monohydrochloride, 5-Methylcytosine