DNA methyltransferases are important enzymes in a broad range of organisms. Dysfunction of DNA methyltransferases in humans leads to many severe diseases, including cancer. This book focuses on the biochemical properties of these enzymes, describing their structures and mechanisms in bacteria, humans and other species, including plants, and also explains the biological processes of reading of DNA methylation and DNA demethylation. It covers many emerging aspects of the biological roles of DNA methylation functioning as an essential epigenetic mark and describes the role of DNA methylation in diseases. Moreover, the book explains modern technologies, like targeted rewriting of DNA methylation by designed DNA methyltransferases, as well as technological applications of DNA methyltransferases in DNA labelling. Finally, the book summarizes recent methods for the analysis of DNA methylation in human DNA. Overall, this book represents a comprehensive state-of-the-art- work and is a must-havefor advanced researchers in the field of DNA methylation and epigenetics.

Albert Jeltsch is Pofessor for Biochemistry at the University of Stuttgart, Germany.

Renata Jurkowska is Group Leader in Biochemistry and Molecular Epigenetics at the University of Stuttgart, Germany.

Mechanisms and biological roles of DNA methylation and DNA methyltransferases from past achievements to future challenges.- DNA and RNA pyrimidine nucleobase alkylation at the carbon-5 position.- Bacterial DNA methylation and methylomes.- Domain structure of the Dnmt1, Dnmt3a, and Dnmt3b DNA methyltransferases.- Enzymology of mammalian DNA methyltransferases.- Genetic studies on mammalian DNA methyltransferases.- The role of DNA methylation in cancer.- Structure and mechanism of plant DNA methyltransferases.- DNA methylation and gene regulation in honey bees: from genome-wide analyses to obligatory epi-alleles.- N6-methyladenine: a conserved and dynamic DNA mark.- Pathways of DNA demethylation.- Structure and function of TET enzymes.- Proteins that read DNA methylation.- DNA base flipping a general mechanism for writing, reading, and erasing DNA modifications.- Current and emerging technologies for the analysis of the genome-wide and locus-specific DNA methylation patterns.- DNA methyltransferase inhibitors development and applications.- Rewriting DNA methylation signatures at will: the curable genome within reach?.- Engineering and directed evolution of DNA methyltransferases.- DNA labeling using DNA methyltransferases.