Encodes a chromomethylase involved in methylating cytosine residues at non-CG sites. Involved in preferentially methylating transposon-related sequences, reducing their mobility. CMT3 interacts with an Arabidopsis homologue of HP1 (heterochromatin protein 1), which in turn interacts with methylated histones. Involved in gene silencing.
Computational Description
chromomethylase 3 (CMT3); FUNCTIONS IN: DNA (cytosine-5-)-methyltransferase activity; INVOLVED IN: in 6 processes; LOCATED IN: chromatin, nucleus; EXPRESSED IN: 21 plant structures; EXPRESSED DURING: 13 growth stages; CONTAINS InterPro DOMAIN/s: DNA methylase, C-5 cytosine-specific (InterPro:IPR001525), Chromo domain-like (InterPro:IPR016197), Bromo adjacent homology (BAH) domain (InterPro:IPR001025), DNA methylase, C-5 cytosine-specific, active site (InterPro:IPR018117), Chromo domain (InterPro:IPR000953); BEST Arabidopsis thaliana protein match is: chromomethylase 2 (TAIR:AT4G19020.1); Has 4337 Blast hits to 3739 proteins in 974 species: Archae - 208; Bacteria - 2545; Metazoa - 230; Fungi - 161; Plants - 416; Viruses - 30; Other Eukaryotes - 747 (source: NCBI BLink).
