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Developmental stage

In germ cells, it is present at high levels in spermatogonia and spermatocytes until the pachytene stage, where it falls to undetectable levels. The transient drop at the pachytene stage coincides with the disappearance of the 5.2 kb mRNA and the accumulation of a larger 6.0 kb mRNA. Oocytes accumulate very large amounts of Dnmt1 protein during the growth phase.

Domain

The N-terminal part is required for homodimerization and acts as a regulatory domain.

The CXXC-type zinc finger specifically binds to unmethylated CpG dinucleotides, positioning the autoinhibitory linker between the DNA and the active site, thus providing a mechanism to ensure that only hemimethylated CpG dinucleotides undergo methylation.

Function

Methylates CpG residues. Preferentially methylates hemimethylated DNA. Associates with DNA replication sites in S phase maintaining the methylation pattern in the newly synthesized strand, that is essential for epigenetic inheritance. Associates with chromatin during G2 and M phases to maintain DNA methylation independently of replication. It is responsible for maintaining methylation patterns established in development. DNA methylation is coordinated with methylation of histones. Mediates transcriptional repression by direct binding to HDAC2. In association with DNMT3B and via the recruitment of CTCFL/BORIS, involved in activation of BAG1 gene expression by modulating dimethylation of promoter histone H3 at H3K4 and H3K9. Probably forms a corepressor complex required for activated KRAS-mediated promoter hypermethylation and transcriptional silencing of tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) or other tumor-related genes in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells (By similarity). Also required to maintain a transcriptionally repressive state of genes in undifferentiated embryonic stem cells (ESCs) (By similarity). Associates at promoter regions of tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) leading to their gene silencing (By similarity). Promotes tumor growth (By similarity).

Post-translational modifications

Sumoylated; sumoylation increases activity.

Phosphorylation at Ser-146 by CK1 reduces DNA-binding activity.

Acetylation on multiple lysines, mainly by KAT2B/PCAF, regulates cell cycle G(2)/M transition. Deacetylation of Lys-1352 and Lys-1418 by SIRT1 increases methyltransferase activity.

Phosphorylation of Ser-152 by CDKs is important for enzymatic activity and protein stability. Phosphorylation of Ser-140 by AKT1 prevents methylation by SETD7 therebye increasing DNMT1 stability.

Methylation at Lys-139 by SETD7 is necessary for the regulation of DNMT1 proteasomal degradation.

Ubiquitinated by UHRF1; interaction with USP7 counteracts ubiquitination by UHRF1 by promoting deubiquitination and preventing degradation by the proteasome.

Sequence similarities

Belongs to the class I-like SAM-binding methyltransferase superfamily. C5-methyltransferase family.

Tissue specificity

Isoform 1 is expressed in embryonic stem cells and in somatic tissues. Isoform 2 is expressed in oocytes, preimplantation embryos, testis and in skeletal muscle during myogenesis.

Cellular localization

  • Nucleus
  • Cytoplasm
  • It is nucleoplasmic through most of the cell cycle and associates with replication foci during S-phase. In germ cells, spermatogonia, preleptotene and leptotene spermatocytes all express high levels of nuclear protein, while the protein is not detected in pachytene spermatocytes, despite the fact they expressed high levels of mRNA. In females, the protein is not detected in non-growing oocytes, in contrast to the growing oocytes. During the growing, the protein is no longer detectable in nuclei but accumulates to very high levels first throughout the cytoplasm. At the time of ovulation, all the protein is cytoplasmic and is actively associated with the oocyte cortex. After fecondation, in the preimplantation embryo, the protein remains cytoplasmic and after implantation, it is exclusively nuclear in all tissue types. Isoform 2 is sequestered in the cytoplasm of maturing oocytes and of preimplantation embryos, except for the 8-cell stage, while isoform 1 is exclusively nuclear.

Alternative names

Dnmt, Met1, Uim, Dnmt1, DNA (cytosine-5)-methyltransferase 1, Met-1, DNA methyltransferase MmuI, MCMT, DNA MTase MmuI, M.MmuI

Target type

Proteins

Primary research area

Epigenetics

Molecular weight

183189Da

We found 4 products in 2 categories

Primary Antibodies

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Application

Reactive species

Proteins & Peptides

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Species of origin