Dnmt2-dependent methylomes lack biologically relevant DNA methylation patterns

Several organisms belonging to diverse animal groups have retained Dnmt2 as their only bona fide DNA methyltransferase gene. However, recent studies have shown that Dnmt2 functions as a tRNA methyltransferase, which prompted us to analyze the methylomes of Dnmt2-only organisms at single-base resolution. Using whole-genome bisulfite sequencing we show here that the genomes of Schistosoma mansoni and Drosophila melanogaster lack detectable DNA methylation patterns. Residual unconverted cytosine residues shared many attributes with bisulfite deamination artifacts and were observed at comparable levels in a Dnmt2-deficient fly strain. Furthermore, genetically modified mouse embryonic stem cells that had retained Dnmt2 as their only bona fide DNA methyltransferase gene, did not show any detectable DNA methylation patterns. Our results thus uncover fundamental differences among animal methylomes and suggest that Dnmt2-only organisms lack biologically relevant DNA methylation patterns. Whole methylome analysis of Mus musculus. One sample was analyzed containing DNA from Dnmt1-/-, Dnmt3a-/- and Dnmt3b-/- mice.