Assignment of DNA cytosine-5-methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) gene to porcine chromosome 2q21-->q22 by somatic cell and radiation hybrid panel mapping.

DNA methylation plays an important role in animal development and gene regulation. In mammals, several genes encoding DNA cytosine methyltransferases have been identified. DNA cytosine-5-methyltransferase 1 has a role in the establishment and regulation of tissue-specific patterns of methylated cytosine residues. DNMT1 is constitutively expressed and is required for the maintenance of global methylation after DNA replication. Aberrant methylation patterns are associated with certain human tumors and developmental abnormalities. The human DNMT1 gene was localized on 19p13.3→p13.2 (elDeiry et al., 1991; Yen et al., 1992). In this study using somatic cell hybrid cells and a radiation hybrid panel we have mapped the gene DNMT1 to porcine chromosome 2, thus confirming the expected localization of the gene in the porcine genome.