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. 1980 Mar 25;8(6):1383–1390. doi: 10.1093/nar/8.6.1383

Methylated bases in mycoplasmal DNA.

A Razin, S Razin
PMCID: PMC323998  PMID: 7433124

Abstract

The DNAs of four Mycoplasma and one Acholeplasma species were found to contain methylated bases. All of the five species contained 6-methyladenine (m6Ade), the methylated base characteristic of prokaryotic DNA. The extent of methylation of adenine residues in the mycoplasmal DNA ranged from 0.2% in Mycoplasma capricolum to about 2% in Mycoplasma arginini and Mycoplasma hyorhinis with intermediate methylation values for Mycoplasma orale and Acholeplasma laidlawii DNAs. About 5.8% of the cytosine residues in M. hyorhinis DNA were methylated also. Analysis of cell culture DNA for the presence of m6Ade as a means for detection of contamination by mycoplasmas, and the phylogenetic implications of the finding of methylated bases in mycoplasmal DNAs are discussed.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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