Covalent histone modifications—miswritten, misinterpreted and mis-erased in human cancers

P Chi, CD Allis, GG Wang - Nature reviews cancer, 2010 - nature.com
P Chi, CD Allis, GG Wang
Nature reviews cancer, 2010nature.com
Post-translational modification of histones provides an important regulatory platform for
processes such as gene transcription and DNA damage repair. It has become increasingly
apparent that the misregulation of histone modification, which is caused by the deregulation
of factors that mediate the modification installation, removal and/or interpretation, actively
contributes to human cancer. In this Review, we summarize recent advances in
understanding the interpretation of certain histone methylations by plant homeodomain …
Abstract
Post-translational modification of histones provides an important regulatory platform for processes such as gene transcription and DNA damage repair. It has become increasingly apparent that the misregulation of histone modification, which is caused by the deregulation of factors that mediate the modification installation, removal and/or interpretation, actively contributes to human cancer. In this Review, we summarize recent advances in understanding the interpretation of certain histone methylations by plant homeodomain finger-containing proteins, and how misreading, miswriting and mis-erasing of histone methylation marks can be associated with oncogenesis and progression. These observations provide us with a greater mechanistic understanding of epigenetic alterations in human cancers and might also help direct new therapeutic interventions in the future.
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