The many faces of histone H3K79 methylation

Publication date: Available online 31 March 2016 Source:Mutation Research/Reviews in Mutation Research Author(s): Zeenat Farooq, Shahid Banday, Tej K. Pandita, Mohammad Altaf Dot1/DOT1L (disruptor of telomeric silencing-1) is an evolutionarily conserved histone methyltransferase that methylates lysine 79 located within the globular domain of histone H3. Dot1 was initially identified by a genetic screen as a disruptor of telomeric silencing in Saccharomyces cerevisiae; further, it is the only known non-SET domain containing histone methyltransferase. Methylation of H3K79 is involved in the regulation of telomeric silencing, cellular development, cell-cycle checkpoint, DNA repair, and regulation of transcription. hDot1L-mediated H3K79 methylation appears to have a crucial role in transformation as well as disease progression in leukemias involving several oncogenic fusion proteins. This review summarizes the multiple functions of Dot1/hDOT1L in a range of cellular processes.
Source: Mutation Research Reviews in Mutation Research - Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: research