DNA methylation of cytosine residues, catalyzed by DNA methyltransferases, is 
suggested to play important roles in regulating gene expression and plant 
development. In this study, we isolated four wheat cDNA fragments and one cDNA 
with open reading frame encoding putative DNA methyltransferase and designated 
TaMET1, TaMET2a, TaMET2b, TaCMT, TaMET3, respectively. BLASTX searches and 
phylogenetic analysis suggested that five cDNAs belonged to four classes (Dnmt1, 
Dnmt2, CMT and Dnmt3) of DNA methyltransferase genes. TaMET2a encoded a protein 
of 376 aa and contained eight of ten conserved motifs characteristic of DNA 
methyltransferase. Genomic sequence of TaMET2a was obtained and found to contain 
ten introns and eleven exons. The expression analysis of the five genes revealed 
that they were expressed in developing seed, during germination and various 
vegetative tissues, but in quite different abundance. It was interesting to note 
that TaMET1 and TaMET3 mRNAs were clearly detected in dry seeds. Moreover, the 
differential expression patterns of five genes were observed between wheat 
hybrid and its parents in leaf, stem and root of jointing stage, some were 
up-regulated while some others were down-regulated in the hybrid. We concluded 
that multiple wheat DNA methyltransferase genes were present and might play 
important roles in wheat growth and development.