Detection of methylated sequences in eukaryotic DNA with the restriction endonucleases SmaI and XmaI

Abstract The restriction endonuclease Xma I cleaves eukaryotic DNA whether or not its recognition sequence (C ↓ -C-C-G-G-G) contains 5-methylcytosine in the CpG dinucleotide. This is in contrast to its isoschizomer, endo R Sma I, which does not cleave DNA if the CpG of its recognition sequence (C-C-C ↓ G-G-G) is methylated. Thus, this isoschizomer pair will be useful in the study of eukaryotic DNA methylation.