Evidence for adenine methylation within the mouse myogenic gene Myo-D1.

Previous studies have indicated that there may be uncleavable TaqI sites (TCGA) within the mouse myogenic gene, Myo-D1. Fragments of DNA bearing most of the presumed insensitive TaqI sites have been reproduced using PCR. The presence of each of the originally uncleavable TaqI sites has been confirmed and each TaqI site has been shown to be sensitive to TaqI hydrolysis in PCR-synthesized genomic DNA. Since TaqI is inhibited by methylation of the adenine residue within its recognition sequence (but not by cytosine methylation), it is suggested that specific adenine bases are methylated in the coding region of Myo-DI and maintained throughout cell division. The same TaqI recognition sequences are insensitive to digestion in genomic DNA isolated from various mouse tissues including fetus, regenerating skeletal muscle and a myogenic cell line, all of which express Myo-D1. Thus, adenine methylation is not a modification of DNA following gametic fusion nor does it appear to play a major role in regulation of Myo-D1 expression.