The sequences coding for DNA[cytosine-N4]methyltransferases MvaI (from Micrococcus varians RFL19) and Cfr9I (from Citrobacter freundii RFL9) have been determined. The predicted methylases are proteins of 454 and 300 amino acids, respectively. Primary structure comparison of M.Cfr9I and another m4C-forming methylase, M.Pvu II, revealed extended regions of homology. The sequence comparison of the three DNA[cytosine-N4]-methylases using originally developed software revealed two conserved patterns, DPF-GSGT and TSPPY, which were found similar also to those of adenine and DNA[cytosine-C5]-methylases. These data provided a basis for global alignment and classification of DNA-methylase sequences. Structural considerations led us to suggest that the first region could be the binding site of AdoMet, while the second is thought to be directly involved in the modification of the exocyclic amino group.
The Eco57I restriction endonuclease and methylase were purified to homogeneity from the E.coli RR1 strain carrying the eco57IRM genes on a recombinant plasmid. The molecular weight of the denaturated methylase is 63 kDa. The restriction endonuclease exists in a monomeric form with an apparent molecular weight of 104-108 kDa. R.Eco57I also possesses methylase activity. The methylation activities of both enzymes modify the outer A residue in the target sequence 5'CTGAAG yielding N6-methyladenine. M.Eco57I modifies both strands of the substrate while R.Eco57I modifies only one. Only the methylase enzyme is stimulated by Ca2+. The restriction endonuclease shows an absolute requirement for Mg2+ and is stimulated by AdoMet. ATP has no influence on either activity of the enzymes. The subunit structure and enzymatic properties of the Eco57I enzymes distinguish them from all other restriction-modification enzymes that have been described previously. Therefore, RM.Eco57I may be regarded as a representative of a novel class of restriction-modification systems, and we propose to classify it as type IV.
A 6.3 kb fragment of E.coli RFL57 DNA coding for the type IV restriction-modification system Eco57I was cloned and expressed in E.coli RR1. A 5775 bp region of the cloned fragment was sequenced which contains three open reading frames (ORF). The methylase gene is 1623 bp long, corresponding to a protein of 543 amino acids (62 kDa); the endonuclease gene is 2991 bp in length (997 amino acids, 117 kDa). The two genes are transcribed convergently from different strands with their 3'-ends separated by 69 bp. The third short open reading frame (186 bp, 62 amino acids) has been identified, that precedes and overlaps by 7 nucleotides the ORF encoding the methylase. Comparison of the deduced Eco57I endonuclease and methylase amino acid sequences revealed three regions of significant similarity. Two of them resemble the conserved sequence motifs characteristic of the DNA[adenine-N6] methylases. The third one shares similarity with corresponding regions of the PaeR7I, TaqI, CviBIII, PstI, BamHI and HincII methylases. Homologs of this sequence are also found within the sequences of the PaeR7I, PstI and BamHI restriction endonucleases. This is the first example of a family of cognate restriction endonucleases and methylases sharing homologous regions. Analysis of the structural relationship suggests that the type IV enzymes represent an intermediate in the evolutionary pathway between the type III and type II enzymes.
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