Common evolutionary origin of the phage T4 dam and host Escherichia coli dam DNA-adenine methyltransferase genes

Abstract

We compared the known DNA nucleotide and encoded amino acid sequences of the Escherichia coli and bacteriophage T4 dam (DNA-adenine methyltransferase) genes. Despite the absence of any DNA sequence homology, there were four regions (11 to 33 residues long) of amino acid sequence homology containing 45 to 64% identity. These results suggest that the genes for these two enzymes have a common evolutionary origin.