Developmental expression of DNA methyltransferase messenger ribonucleic acid, protein, and enzyme activity in the mouse testis.

Sex- and sequence-specific patterns of methylation of mammalian DNA are established during gametogenesis and are believed to be important for genomic imprinting and developmental gene regulation. DNA methylation in mammalian cells is performed predominantly by the enzyme DNA (cytosine-5)-methyltransferase (DNA MTase). For a better understanding of how DNA methylation events are regulated during spermatogenesis, a developmental study comparing the expression of DNA MTase mRNA, protein, and enzyme activity was performed. Northern and Western blotting and enzyme activity assays were carried out on testes and purified populations of cells from the testes of mice aged 6-70 days. The 5.2-kb DNA MTase transcript was most abundant in testes of mice aged 6-10 days (2-3-fold the 70-day values); it had decreased in abundance by 40% by Day 20 and reached steady adult levels by 63 days. On Western blot analysis, developmental changes in the relative abundance of DNA MTase protein paralleled the changes seen in mRNA concentrations. DNA MTase enzyme activity in the testis was highest at 6 days of age (10-fold the 70-day values); it had decreased by more than 65% by 20 days and reached steady adult levels at 35 days. Analysis of purified germ cells from the adult testis revealed high levels of expression of both DNA MTase mRNA and protein in haploid round spermatids. In conclusion, DNA MTase is clearly developmentally regulated during spermatogenesis at the level of mRNA, protein, and enzyme activity. These results argue for an important role for this DNA-methylating enzyme during spermatogenesis.