Computational identification of novel biochemical systems involved in oxidation, glycosylation and other complex modifications of bases in DNA.

ABSTRACT: Discovery of the TET/JBP family of dioxygenases that modify bases in DNA has sparked considerable interest in novel DNA base modifications and their biological roles. Using sensitive sequence and structure analyses combined with contextual information from comparative genomics, we computationally characterize over 12 novel biochemical systems for DNA modifications. We predict previously unidentified enzymes, such as the kinetoplastid J-base generating glycosyltransferase (and its homolog GREB1), the catalytic specificity of bacteriophage TET/JBP proteins and their role in complex DNA base modifications. We also predict the enzymes involved in synthesis of hypermodified bases such as alpha-glutamylthymine and alpha-putrescinylthymine that have remained enigmatic for several decades. Moreove

SUBMITTER: Iyer LM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3763556 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature