5-methylcytosine-sensitive variants of Thermococcus kodakaraensis DNA polymerase.

ABSTRACT: DNA methylation of cytosine in eukaryotic cells is a common epigenetic modification, which plays an important role in gene expression and thus affects various cellular processes like development and carcinogenesis. The occurrence of 5-methyl-2'-deoxycytosine (5mC) as well as the distribution pattern of this epigenetic marker were shown to be crucial for gene regulation and can serve as important biomarkers for diagnostics. DNA polymerases distinguish little, if any, between incorporation opposite C and 5mC, which is not surprising since the site of methylation is not involved in Watson-Crick recognition. Here, we describe the development of a DNA polymerase variant that incorporates the canonical 2'-deoxyguanosine 5'-monophosphate (dGMP) opposite C with higher efficiency compared to 5mC. T

SUBMITTER: Huber C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5175357 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature