Modified bases in the DNAs of unicellular eukaryotes: an examination of distributions and possible roles, with emphasis on hydroxymethyluracil in dinoflagellates.

The occurrence of small amounts of one or more of several modified bases in the DNA of an organism is widespread in nature. Prominent among these bases are 5-methylcytosine, N6-methyladenine and 5-hydroxymethyluracil. All can be found in varying amounts in DNA of viral, prokaryotic and eukaryotic origin. In some organisms, modified nucleotides comprise a large fraction of DNA nucleotides and in others there is complete replacement of one of the common four nucleotides by a modified one. This article discusses the distributions and possible roles of the several modified bases found in prokaryote and eukaryote DNAs. Emphasis is given (1) methylcytosine in a broad variety of eukaryotes, (2) methyladenine in certain protozoa and protophyta and (3) hydroxymethyluracil in dinoflagellates. Attention is focused on the phenomenology and the possible consequences of the presence of hydroxymethyluracil in DNA.