Accumulating evidence suggests that breast cancer metastatic progression is modified by germline polymorphism, although specific modifier genes have remained largely undefined. In the current study, we employ the MMTV-PyMT transgenic mouse model and the AKXD panel of recombinant inbred mice to identify AT-rich interactive domain 4B (Arid4b; NM_194262) as a breast cancer progression modifier gen...

The eukaryotic processes of nucleosome assembly and disassembly govern chromatin dynamics, in which histones exchange in a highly regulated manner to promote genome accessibility for all DNA-dependent processes. This regulation is partly carried out by histone chaperones, which serve multifaceted roles in co-ordinating the interactions of histone proteins with modification enzymes, nucleosome r...

The concept of one-protein-multiple-function, i.e. moonlighting proteins, is an ever-expanding paradigm. We obtained compelling evidence that an array of 'cytoplasmic' metabolic enzymes can enter the nuclei to carry out moonlighting transcription functions; this phenomenon is conserved from Drosophila to humans. Of particular interest are the classical glycolytic enzymes GAPDH (glyceraldehyde-3...

Epigenetics contains various mechanisms by which cells employ to regulate the transcription of many DNAs. Histone acetylation is an obvious example epigenetic mechanism regulating expression several genes changing chromatin accessibility. deacetylases (HDACs) are a class enzymes that play critical role in regulation deacetylation histone proteins. Inhibitors deacetylase could result hyperacetyl...

Histone methyltransferases (HMTs) have attracted considerable attention as potential targets for pharmaceutical intervention in various malignant diseases. These enzymes are known introducing methyl marks at specific locations of histone proteins, creating a complex system that regulates epigenetic control gene expression and cell differentiation. Here, we describe the identification first-gene...

Similar to genetic alterations, epigenetic aberrations contribute significantly to tumor initiation and progression. In many cases, these changes are caused by activation or inactivation of the regulators that maintain epigenetic states. Here we review our current knowledge on the KDM5/JARID1 family of histone demethylases. This family of enzymes contains a JmjC domain and is capable of removin...

Histone lysine methylation is a critical regulator of chromatin-templated processes such as gene transcription and DNA repair, and is dynamically controlled by enzymes that write and erase this posttranslational modification. Although histone methylation has been well studied, the functions of nonhistone lysine methylation and its regulatory enzymes, particularly outside the nucleus, are poorly...