In vertebrates, CpG methylation plays a key role in controlling the epigenetic state of DNA. However, there is a price to pay. Cytosine methylation promotes deamination, and hence leads to the depletion of CpG sequences in the genome (which are currently about 5-fold underrepresented with respect to statistical expectation in mammals). Is this link between cytosine methylation and deamination also applicable to prokaryotic genomes? We have systematically looked for new CpG methyltransferases by screening genomes for the expected collateral damage. In my talk, I will describe the discovery of a new bacterial CpG methyltransferase and its possible role, present the structure of the enzyme in a catalytically relevant complex with target DNA, and discuss some unexpected findings on the generality of the link between CpG methylation and depletion in prokaryotic genomes.

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