Crystallization and X-ray diffraction studies of DNA-free and DNA-bound forms of EcoO109I DNA methyltransferase

EcoO109I DNA methyltransferase (M.EcoO109I) is a type II modification enzyme from the EcoO109I restriction-modification system identified in Escherichia coli strain H709c. M.EcoO109I recognizes double-stranded RGGNCCY (where R = A or G, Y = T or C and N is any base) and transfers a methyl group to the C5 of the inner cytosines from S-adenosylmethionine. To reveal the mechanism of substrate recognition by M.EcoO109I, DNA-free and DNA-bound forms of M.EcoO109I were successfully crystallized. Crystals of the DNA-free and DNA-bound forms belonged to space groups P4₂2₁2, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 120.5, c = 79.8 Å, and P2₁, with unit-cell parameters a = 55.8, b = 77.4, c = 117.4 Å, β = 93.5°, respectively.