Bacteria Methylate Their DNA To

Question

Bacteria methylate their DNA to:
A) prepare for DNA replication
B) prepare for mitosis
C) effectively infect other cells
D) protect it from restriction enzymes
E) prevent viral DNA from hybridizing with bacterial DNA

Accepted Answer

Bacteria methylate their DNA primarily as a defense mechanism to protect it from being degraded by their own restriction enzymes. This allows the bacteria to distinguish between its own DNA and foreign DNA (such as that of bacteriophages), targeting the latter for degradation.