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Science 20 January 2006:
Vol. 311. no. 5759, p. 299
DOI: 10.1126/science.311.5759.299o
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DNA methylation in many eukaryotes plays a vital role in the epigenetic regulation of gene expression and in helping maintain the integrity of the genome. Characterization of the DNA methyltransferase (Dnmt) activity of the most highly conserved member, Dnmt2, by Goll met al. (p. 395) reveals that it is actually an RNA methyltransferase. Dnmt2 from a wide range of species, including mice and Arabidopsis, adds a methyl group specifically to the invariant position 38 of Asp transfer RNA. The close similarity between the eukaryotic Dnmts indicates that they may have originally evolved from a Dnmt2-like RNA methyltransferase.




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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)