A fungal dioxygenase CcTet serves as a eukaryotic 6mA demethylase on duplex DNA

N-6-methyladenosine (6mA) is a DNA modification that has recently been found to play regulatory roles during mammalian early embryo development and mitochondria! transcription. We found that a dioxygenase CcTet from the fungus Coprinopsis cinerea is also a dsDNA 6mA demethylase. It oxidizes 6mA to the intermediate N 6 -hydroxymethyladenosine (6hmA) with robust activity of 6mA-containing duplex DNA (dsDNA) as well as isolated genomics DNA. Structural characterization revealed that CcTet utilizes three flexible loop regions and two key residues-D337 and G331-in the active pocket to preferentially recognize substrates on dsDNA. A CcTet D337F mutant protein retained the catalytic activity on 6mA but lost activity on 5-methylcytosine. Our findings uncovered a 6mA demethylase that works on dsDNA, suggesting potential 6mA demethylation in fungi and elucidating 6mA recognition and the catalytic mechanism of CcTet. The CcTet D337F mutant protein also provides a chemical biology tool for future functional manipulation of DNA 6mA in vivo.

Automated summary

The research uncovered a 6mA demethylase CcTet that works on dsDNA in the fungus Coprinopsis cinerea, revealing potential 6mA demethylation and the catalytic mechanism of CcTet in fungi. The CcTet D337F mutant protein also serves as a chemical biology tool for manipulating DNA 6mA in vivo.