The origin of genomic N 6-methyl-deoxyadenosine in mammalian cells.
The origin of genomic N 6-methyl-deoxyadenosine in mammalian cells.
- Nature Chemical Biology, 16(6), p.630-634, 2020 .
The proposal that N6-methyl-deoxyadenosine (m6dA)acts as an epigenetic mark in mammals remains controversial. Using isotopic labeling coupled to ultrasensitive mass spectrometry, we confirm the presence of low-level m6dA in mammalian DNA. However, the bulk of genomic m6dA originates from ribo-N6-methyladenosine, which is processed via the nucleotide-salvage pathway and misincorporated by DNA polymerases. Our results argue against m6dA acting as a heritable, epigenetic DNA mark in mammalian cells.
The proposal that N6-methyl-deoxyadenosine (m6dA)acts as an epigenetic mark in mammals remains controversial. Using isotopic labeling coupled to ultrasensitive mass spectrometry, we confirm the presence of low-level m6dA in mammalian DNA. However, the bulk of genomic m6dA originates from ribo-N6-methyladenosine, which is processed via the nucleotide-salvage pathway and misincorporated by DNA polymerases. Our results argue against m6dA acting as a heritable, epigenetic DNA mark in mammalian cells.