Title:The Functions of Histone Modification Enzymes in Cancer
Volume: 17
Issue: 5
Author(s): Ruilin Wang, Mei Xin, Yanjiao Li, Pingyu Zhang and Meixia Zhang
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Histone modification, cancer, histone modification enzyme, chromatin, epigenetics.
Abstract: Posttranslational modifications of proteins critically regulate the function, localization, and
stability of target proteins. Histone modification is one of the regulatory mechanisms that modulate the
chromatin structure and thereby affect various DNA-templated processes, such as gene transcription,
DNA replication, DNA recombination, and DNA repair in cells. These molecular processes contribute
to basic cellular functions, including cell cycle, cell growth, and apoptosis. Histone modifications consist
of acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation, ubiquitination, sumoylation biotination, citrullination, poly-ADPribosylation,
and N-glycosylation. The modification status of histone is balanced by two enzyme families with opposing
catalytic activities: histone modifying and de-modifying enzymes. Recent studies have shown that dysfunction of histone
modification enzymes is a major cause for human cancer initiation and progression. In this review, we will summarize the
functions of histone modification enzymes in cancer, and the mechanisms that histone modification enzymes use to drive
or suppress human malignancies.
