RESUMO
The heterogeneity and some properties of DNA-methylases isolated from nonmalignant human thyroid formations--nodular and diffuse goiters--have been studied. Isoelectrofocusing of methylase preparations produced 6-7 distinct activity peaks distinguished by pI, activity towards Ca2+ and Mg2+, sensitivity towards dithiothreitol and capacity to methylase cytosine into mono-, di- and tripyrimidine blocks in vitro. The degree of DNA methylation in vivo depended on the origin of of the goiter. Analysis of several methylase fractions by two-dimensional electrophoresis performed according to O'Farrell revealed the presence of major polypeptides having similar molecular masses (approximately 36 kDa). Besides the major component, all the preparations under study contained 6-10 characteristic minor components. The data obtained are suggestive of a structural and functional heterogeneity of human methylases.
