An improved method for the detection of Dcm methylation in DNA molecules.

The intrinsic insensitivity of EcoRII recognition sites in RF DNAs of phage M13 and vector M13mp18 towards this restriction endonuclease can be overcome by adding site-specific oligodeoxyribonucleotide duplexes to the restriction sample. Since Dcm- DNA but not Dcm(+)-methylated DNA becomes susceptible under these conditions, this procedure constitutes an improvement of the Dcm methylation assay.