Structural basis of asymmetric DNA methylation and ATP-triggered long-range diffusion by EcoP15I.

ABSTRACT: Type III R-M enzymes were identified >40 years ago and yet there is no structural information on these multisubunit enzymes. Here we report the structure of a Type III R-M system, consisting of the entire EcoP15I complex (Mod2Res1) bound to DNA. The structure suggests how ATP hydrolysis is coupled to long-range diffusion of a helicase on DNA, and how a dimeric methyltransferase functions to methylate only one of the two DNA strands. We show that the EcoP15I motor domains are specifically adapted to bind double-stranded DNA and to facilitate DNA sliding via a novel 'Pin' domain. We also uncover unexpected 'division of labour', where one Mod subunit recognizes DNA, while the other Mod subunit methylates the target adenine--a mechanism that may extend to adenine N6 RNA methylation in mammalia

SUBMITTER: Gupta YK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4490356 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature