Possible role of methylated DNA bases for the transcription of the genetic information

✍ Scribed by Dr. H. Venner; H. Reinert

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2007
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 762 KB
• Volume: 13
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0233-111X
• DOI: 10.1002/jobm.19730130711

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

The main biological consequence originating from our concept consists in the control of transcription by the methylation of DNA, which has developed from the regulatory role of the 6‐MAP containing stop codons in the lower organisms and the regulation by 5‐MC containing start codons in some lower and all higher organisms during evolution. Up to now, host modification and restriction are the sole processes of biological significance and evidently mediated by methylation of DNA. Following from our concept, the acquaintance of host modification for a given phage DNA does not only mean the compensation of host restriction but also allows the transcription of the phage DNA by the enzyme machinery of the host. Our model, based upon DNA cluster analysis of organisms yielding isostichs easy to survey, fits very well with the numerous observations from biochemical and biological stdies. A more direct proof is hardly to be expected by the known methods of cluster analysis or enzymatic degradation of DNA; it needs quite different studies. The conclusions discussed explain and combine some fundamental processes of genetic coding and appear of importance for the progress in many fields of biology.