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Researchers Discover Novel Modification of 5mC in Green Algae

Jun 05, 2019

DNA methylation is widespread in eukaryotic organisms. Methylation of cytosine to 5-methylcytosine (5mC) and reverse demethylation is related to various biological processes.
In mammals, demethylation of 5mC relies on oxidation by ten-eleven translocation (TET) dioxygenases to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), 5-formylcytosine (5fC) and 5-carboxylcytosine (5caC). In most organisms, however, neither modes of 5mC processing nor function of TET remains unknown.
Recently, three research groups led by Prof. XU Guoliang from Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Prof. TANG Huiru from Fudan University, and Prof. HUANG Kaiyao from Institute of Hydrobiology of CAS, respectively, uncovered that in unicellular green algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii how the TET family protein promote modification of the methyl group in 5mC. The study was published in Nature.
collaborated to uncover that in unicellular green algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii how the TET family protein promote modification of the methyl group in 5mC.

Researchers first identified 5mC-modifying enzyme (CMD1) CMD1 as a TET homologue in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. The enzyme catalyses the conjugation of a glyceryl moiety to the methyl group of 5mC, with vitamin C as the donator of the glyceryl moiety.

Furthermore, by using CRISPR-Cas9 technology, they concluded that the glyceryl 5mC modification could regulate expression of photoprotection gene LHCSR3 through demethylation, thus influence acclimation to high light.

The discovery of the new mechanism in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is of great importance to the study of eukaryotic DNA methylation. The modification may be used for DNA technologies such as the genome-wide mapping of 5mC because of its selectivity. As to Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, the successful application of CRSIPR-Cas9 in this study will be helpful to other genetic studies.

Contact

HUANG Kaiyao

Institute of Hydrobiology

E-mail:

A vitamin-C-derived DNA modification catalysed by an algal TET homologue

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