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Access through your institution Buy or subscribe To the Editor: In a recent issue of _Nature Genetics_, Phalke _et al_.1 described a new pathway for transposon silencing and telomere

integrity in _Drosophila_ that depends on the DNA methyltransferase homolog Dnmt2. Dnmt2 proteins are the most conserved members of the DNA methyltransferase family, but their substrate

specificity has been discussed controversially within the scientific community2. Previous observations include a weak and highly distributive DNA methyltransferase activity of human DNMT2 in

cell-free assays3, spurious DNA methylation in _Drosophila_4 and highly specific transfer RNA (tRNA) methyltransferase activity for cytosine 38 of tRNAAsp in mice, flies and plants5. All

these observations seemed difficult to reconcile with the processive DNA methyltransferase activity in every dinucleotide context, as observed by Phalke _et al_.1, at _Drosophila Invader4_

retroelements. Furthermore, a recent genome-wide bisulfite sequencing study concluded that transposons are unmethylated in various invertebrates and, specifically, in 0–3-hour-old

_Drosophila_ embryos6. This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution ACCESS OPTIONS Access through your institution Subscribe to this journal Receive 12 print issues

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GENBANK/EMBL/DDBJ * FBte0000292 REFERENCES * Phalke, S. et al. _Nat. Genet._ 41, 696–702 (2009). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * Schaefer, M. & Lyko, F. _Chromosoma_ 119, 35–40 (2010).

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Zilberman, D. _Science_ 328, 916–919 (2010). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * Schaefer, M., Pollex, T., Hanna, K. & Lyko, F. _Nucleic Acids Res._ 37, e12 (2009). Article  Google Scholar

  * Schaefer, M. et al. _Genes Dev._ 24, 1590–1595 (2010). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * Jurkowski, T.P. et al. _RNA_ 14, 1663–1670 (2008). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * Kuhlmann, M. et

al. _Nucleic Acids Res._ 33, 6405–6417 (2005). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  Download references ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This work was supported by grants from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

to M.S and F.L. (Priority Programme Epigenetics, FOR1082). AUTHOR INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * Division of Epigenetics, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, German Cancer Research Center,

Heidelberg, Germany Matthias Schaefer & Frank Lyko Authors * Matthias Schaefer View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Frank Lyko View

author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar CONTRIBUTIONS M.S. performed the DNA methylation analysis. M.S. and F.L. conceived the study and wrote the

manuscript. CORRESPONDING AUTHOR Correspondence to Frank Lyko. ETHICS DECLARATIONS COMPETING INTERESTS The authors declare no competing financial interests. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

SUPPLEMENTARY TABLE, METHODS AND NOTE Supplementary Methods, Supplementary Table 1 and Supplementary Note (PDF 1259 kb) RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE

CITE THIS ARTICLE Schaefer, M., Lyko, F. Lack of evidence for DNA methylation of _Invader4_ retroelements in _Drosophila_ and implications for Dnmt2-mediated epigenetic regulation. _Nat

Genet_ 42, 920–921 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/ng1110-920 Download citation * Published: 27 October 2010 * Issue Date: November 2010 * DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ng1110-920 SHARE THIS

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