Functional CpG Methylation System in a Social Insect

• DOI: 10.1126/science.1135213
• Publication Date: 2006-10-26T21:11:36Z
• Authors: Ying Wang; Mireia Jorda; Peter L. Jones; Ryszard Maleszka; Xu Ling; Hugh M. Robertson; Craig A. Mizzen; Miguel A. Peinado; Gene E. Robinson
• Keywords: RNA-Directed DNA Methylation; CpG site; DNA methyltransferase; DNMT1; Epigenomics

DNA methylation systems are well characterized in vertebrates, but Drosophila melanogaster and other invertebrates remains controversial. Using the recently sequenced honey bee genome, we present a bioinformatic, molecular, biochemical characterization of functional system an insect. We report on catalytically active orthologs vertebrate methyltransferases Dnmt1 Dnmt3a b, two isoforms that contain methyl-DNA binding domain, genomic 5-methyl-deoxycytosine, CpG-methylated genes. The provides opportunity to study roles social contexts.