DNA templates containing 5-hydroxymethyluracil or 5-hydroxymethylcytosine were used in an in vitro transcription assay with RNA polymerase from Escherichia coli. A strong enhancement of transcription was observed from DNA containing the Pveg promoter whereas a decrease was observed from DNA containing the rrnB P1 promoter, suggesting that they may act as epigenetic marks.

Dept of Molecular Genetics of Bacteria Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences CZ 14220 Prague 4 Czech Republic

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Bacteriophage-related epigenetic natural and non-natural pyrimidine nucleotides and their influence on transcription with T7 RNA polymerase

Epigenetic Pyrimidine Nucleotides in Competition with Natural dNTPs as Substrates for Diverse DNA Polymerases

Homologues of epigenetic pyrimidines: 5-alkyl-, 5-hydroxyalkyl and 5-acyluracil and -cytosine nucleotides: synthesis, enzymatic incorporation into DNA and effect on transcription with bacterial RNA polymerase

Switching transcription with bacterial RNA polymerase through photocaging, photorelease and phosphorylation reactions in the major groove of DNA