- Methylase
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A methylase is an enzyme that attaches a methyl group to a molecule.
These are found in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Bacteria use methylase to differentiate between foreign genetic material and their own, thus protecting their DNA from their own immune system. By placing a methyl group on a base of the recognition site of a restriction endonuclease, methylases prevent the enzyme from cleaving the bacterial DNA. [1]
There are methylases that can methylate DNA, RNA, proteins, or small molecules, for example, DNA methyltransferase, which methylates cytosine residues and adenine residues in DNA. A new relevant example is a methylase that alters the ribosomal RNA binding site of the antibiotic linezolid and causes cross-resistance to other antibiotics which act on the ribosomal RNA. Plasmid vectors capable of transmitting this gene are a cause of potentially dangerous cross resistance.[2] [3]
See also
References
- ^ Nelson Biology 12 (2003)
- ^ Morales G, Clin Infect Dis 2010;50:821-5
- ^ RC Moellering N Engl J Med 2010; 363: 2377-9
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