Cloning and nucleotide sequence of the AgeI methylase gene from Agrobacterium gelatinovorum IAM 12617, a marine bacterium.

The AgeI restriction-modification system from a marine bacterium, Agrobacterium gelatinovorum IAM 12617, recognizes the nucleotide sequence ACCGGT. The gene coding for the AgeI methylase (M.AgeI) was cloned into Escherichia coli DH5 alpha MCR, and the nucleotides of the gene were sequenced. The M.AgeI gene coded for a protein of 429 amino acid residues (molecular mass, 47,358 daltons). The deduced amino acid sequence of M.AgeI was compared with those of other methylases and showed that there are high degrees of similarity in some cytosine-5 methylases.