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Yamaguchi K, Chen X, Rodgers B, Miura F, Bashtrykov P, Bonhomme F, Salinas-Luypaert C, Haxholli D, Gutekunst N, Aygenli BÖ, Ferry L, Kirsh O, Laisné M, Scelfo A, Ugur E, Arimondo PB, Leonhardt H, Kanemaki MT, Bartke T, Fachinetti D, Jeltsch A, Ito T, Defossez PA. Non-canonical functions of UHRF1 maintain DNA methylation homeostasis in cancer cells. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2960. [PMID: 38580649 PMCID: PMC10997609 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47314-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation is an essential epigenetic chromatin modification, and its maintenance in mammals requires the protein UHRF1. It is yet unclear if UHRF1 functions solely by stimulating DNA methylation maintenance by DNMT1, or if it has important additional functions. Using degron alleles, we show that UHRF1 depletion causes a much greater loss of DNA methylation than DNMT1 depletion. This is not caused by passive demethylation as UHRF1-depleted cells proliferate more slowly than DNMT1-depleted cells. Instead, bioinformatics, proteomics and genetics experiments establish that UHRF1, besides activating DNMT1, interacts with DNMT3A and DNMT3B and promotes their activity. In addition, we show that UHRF1 antagonizes active DNA demethylation by TET2. Therefore, UHRF1 has non-canonical roles that contribute importantly to DNA methylation homeostasis; these findings have practical implications for epigenetics in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kosuke Yamaguchi
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Epigenetics and Cell Fate, Paris, France.
| | - Xiaoying Chen
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Epigenetics and Cell Fate, Paris, France
| | - Brianna Rodgers
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Epigenetics and Cell Fate, Paris, France
| | - Fumihito Miura
- Department of Biochemistry, Kyushu University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Pavel Bashtrykov
- Institute of Biochemistry and Technical Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Frédéric Bonhomme
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Epigenetic Chemical Biology, CNRS, UMR 3523, Chem4Life, Paris, France
| | | | - Deis Haxholli
- Faculty of Biology and Center for Molecular Biosystems (BioSysM), Human Biology and BioImaging, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Nicole Gutekunst
- Institute of Biochemistry and Technical Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | | | - Laure Ferry
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Epigenetics and Cell Fate, Paris, France
| | - Olivier Kirsh
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Epigenetics and Cell Fate, Paris, France
| | - Marthe Laisné
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Epigenetics and Cell Fate, Paris, France
| | - Andrea Scelfo
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS, UMR 144, Paris, France
| | - Enes Ugur
- Faculty of Biology and Center for Molecular Biosystems (BioSysM), Human Biology and BioImaging, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Paola B Arimondo
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Epigenetic Chemical Biology, CNRS, UMR 3523, Chem4Life, Paris, France
| | - Heinrich Leonhardt
- Faculty of Biology and Center for Molecular Biosystems (BioSysM), Human Biology and BioImaging, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Masato T Kanemaki
- Department of Chromosome Science, National Institute of Genetics, Research Organization of Information and Systems (ROIS), Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan
- Graduate Institute for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Mishima, Shizuoka, Japan
- Department of Biological Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Till Bartke
- Institute of Functional Epigenetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
| | | | - Albert Jeltsch
- Institute of Biochemistry and Technical Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Takashi Ito
- Department of Biochemistry, Kyushu University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Fukuoka, Japan
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2
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Whelan R, Mayor-Ruiz C. Chemical rewiring of ubiquitination by degraders and their selectivity routes. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2024; 31:205-207. [PMID: 38366231 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-024-01215-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Rory Whelan
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), Barcelona Institute of Technology (BIST), Baldiri Reixac, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cristina Mayor-Ruiz
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), Barcelona Institute of Technology (BIST), Baldiri Reixac, Barcelona, Spain.
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3
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Song Y, Liu H, Xian Q, Gui C, Xu M, Zhou Y. Mechanistic insights into UHRF1‑mediated DNA methylation by structure‑based functional clarification of UHRF1 domains (Review). Oncol Lett 2023; 26:542. [PMID: 38020304 PMCID: PMC10660443 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2023.14129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic modification is crucial for transmitting genetic information, while abnormalities in DNA methylation modification are primarily associated with cancer and neurological diseases. As a multifunctional epigenetic modifier, ubiquitin like with PHD and ring finger domains 1 (UHRF1) mainly affects cell energy metabolism and cell cycle control. It also inhibits the transcription of tumor suppressor genes through DNA and/or histone methylation modifications, promoting the occurrence and development of cancer. Therefore, comprehensively understanding the molecular mechanism of the epigenetic modification of UHRF1 in tumors will help identify targets for inhibiting the expression and function of UHRF1. Notably, each domain of UHRF1 functions as a whole and differently. Thus, the abnormality of any domain can lead to a change in phenotype or disease. However, the specific regulatory mechanism and proteins of each domain have not been fully elucidated. The present review aimed to contribute to the study of the regulatory mechanism of UHRF1 to a greater extent in different cancers and provide ideas for drug research by clarifying the function of UHRF1 domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiying Song
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis, Jinan Central Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Haiting Liu
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Jinan Zhangqiu Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong 250200, P.R. China
| | - Qingqing Xian
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis, Jinan Central Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Chengzhi Gui
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis, Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
| | - Mingjie Xu
- Medical Research and Laboratory Diagnostic Center, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250013, P.R. China
| | - Yunying Zhou
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis, Jinan Central Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis, Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China
- Medical Research and Laboratory Diagnostic Center, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong 250013, P.R. China
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4
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Enders L, Siklos M, Borggräfe J, Gaussmann S, Koren A, Malik M, Tomek T, Schuster M, Reiniš J, Hahn E, Rukavina A, Reicher A, Casteels T, Bock C, Winter GE, Hannich JT, Sattler M, Kubicek S. Pharmacological perturbation of the phase-separating protein SMNDC1. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4504. [PMID: 37587144 PMCID: PMC10432564 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40124-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023] Open
Abstract
SMNDC1 is a Tudor domain protein that recognizes di-methylated arginines and controls gene expression as an essential splicing factor. Here, we study the specific contributions of the SMNDC1 Tudor domain to protein-protein interactions, subcellular localization, and molecular function. To perturb the protein function in cells, we develop small molecule inhibitors targeting the dimethylarginine binding pocket of the SMNDC1 Tudor domain. We find that SMNDC1 localizes to phase-separated membraneless organelles that partially overlap with nuclear speckles. This condensation behavior is driven by the unstructured C-terminal region of SMNDC1, depends on RNA interaction and can be recapitulated in vitro. Inhibitors of the protein's Tudor domain drastically alter protein-protein interactions and subcellular localization, causing splicing changes for SMNDC1-dependent genes. These compounds will enable further pharmacological studies on the role of SMNDC1 in the regulation of nuclear condensates, gene regulation and cell identity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lennart Enders
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Marton Siklos
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jan Borggräfe
- Helmholtz Munich, Molecular Targets and Therapeutics Center, Institute of Structural Biology, Neuherberg, 85764, München, Germany
- Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Natural Sciences, Department of Bioscience, Bavarian NMR Center, Garching, 85748, München, Germany
| | - Stefan Gaussmann
- Helmholtz Munich, Molecular Targets and Therapeutics Center, Institute of Structural Biology, Neuherberg, 85764, München, Germany
- Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Natural Sciences, Department of Bioscience, Bavarian NMR Center, Garching, 85748, München, Germany
| | - Anna Koren
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Monika Malik
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Tatjana Tomek
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael Schuster
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jiří Reiniš
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Elisa Hahn
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Andrea Rukavina
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Andreas Reicher
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Tamara Casteels
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria
- Sloan Kettering Institute, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Christoph Bock
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria
- Medical University of Vienna, Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Center for Medical Data Science, Währinger Straße 25a, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Georg E Winter
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - J Thomas Hannich
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael Sattler
- Helmholtz Munich, Molecular Targets and Therapeutics Center, Institute of Structural Biology, Neuherberg, 85764, München, Germany
- Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Natural Sciences, Department of Bioscience, Bavarian NMR Center, Garching, 85748, München, Germany
| | - Stefan Kubicek
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
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Ashraf W, Ahmad T, Reynoird N, Hamiche A, Mély Y, Bronner C, Mousli M. Natural and Synthetic Anticancer Epidrugs Targeting the Epigenetic Integrator UHRF1. Molecules 2023; 28:5997. [PMID: 37630248 PMCID: PMC10459542 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28165997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and its incidence and mortality are increasing each year. Improved therapeutic strategies against cancer have progressed, but remain insufficient to invert this trend. Along with several other risk factors, abnormal genetic and epigenetic regulations play a critical role in the initiation of cellular transformation, as well as tumorigenesis. The epigenetic regulator UHRF1 (ubiquitin-like, containing PHD and RING finger domains 1) is a multidomain protein with oncogenic abilities overexpressed in most cancers. Through the coordination of its multiple domains and other epigenetic key players, UHRF1 regulates DNA methylation and histone modifications. This well-coordinated dialogue leads to the silencing of tumor-suppressor genes (TSGs) and facilitates tumor cells' resistance toward anticancer drugs, ultimately promoting apoptosis escape and uncontrolled proliferation. Several studies have shown that the downregulation of UHRF1 with natural compounds in tumor cells induces the reactivation of various TSGs, inhibits cell growth, and promotes apoptosis. In this review, we discuss the underlying mechanisms and the potential of various natural and synthetic compounds that can inhibit/minimize UHRF1's oncogenic activities and/or its expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waseem Ashraf
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60800, Pakistan;
| | - Tanveer Ahmad
- Institut Pour L’avancée des Biosciences, Centre de Recherche UGA, INSERM U1209, CNRS 5309, Université Grenoble Alpes, 38058 Grenoble, France; (T.A.); (N.R.)
| | - Nicolas Reynoird
- Institut Pour L’avancée des Biosciences, Centre de Recherche UGA, INSERM U1209, CNRS 5309, Université Grenoble Alpes, 38058 Grenoble, France; (T.A.); (N.R.)
| | - Ali Hamiche
- Department of Functional Genomics, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), INSERM U1258, CNRS UMR 7104, Université de Strasbourg, Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, 67401 Illkirch, France;
| | - Yves Mély
- Laboratoire de Bioimagerie et Pathologies, UMR 7021 CNRS, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Strasbourg, 67401 Illkirch, France;
| | - Christian Bronner
- Department of Functional Genomics, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), INSERM U1258, CNRS UMR 7104, Université de Strasbourg, Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, 67401 Illkirch, France;
| | - Marc Mousli
- Laboratoire de Bioimagerie et Pathologies, UMR 7021 CNRS, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Strasbourg, 67401 Illkirch, France;
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6
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Michaelides IN, Collie GW. E3 Ligases Meet Their Match: Fragment-Based Approaches to Discover New E3 Ligands and to Unravel E3 Biology. J Med Chem 2023; 66:3173-3194. [PMID: 36821822 PMCID: PMC10009759 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Ubiquitination is a key post-translational modification of proteins, affecting the regulation of multiple cellular processes. Cells are equipped with over 600 ubiquitin orchestrators, called E3 ubiquitin ligases, responsible for directing the covalent attachment of ubiquitin to substrate proteins. Due to their regulatory role in cells, significant efforts have been made to discover ligands for E3 ligases. The recent emergence of the proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) and molecular glue degrader (MGD) modalities has further increased interest in E3 ligases as drug targets. This perspective focuses on how fragment based lead discovery (FBLD) methods have been used to discover new ligands for this important target class. In some cases these efforts have led to clinical candidates; in others, they have provided tools for deepening our understanding of E3 ligase biology. Recently, FBLD-derived ligands have inspired the design of PROTACs that are able to artificially modulate protein levels in cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iacovos N. Michaelides
- Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals
R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, CB4 0WG, United
Kingdom
| | - Gavin W. Collie
- Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals
R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, CB4 0WG, United
Kingdom
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7
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Yamaguchi K, Chen X, Oji A, Hiratani I, Defossez PA. Large-Scale Chromatin Rearrangements in Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14102384. [PMID: 35625988 PMCID: PMC9139990 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14102384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2022] [Revised: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Cancers have many genetic mutations such as nucleotide changes, deletions, amplifications, and chromosome gains or losses. Some of these genetic alterations directly contribute to the initiation and progression of tumors. In parallel to these genetic changes, cancer cells acquire modifications to their chromatin landscape, i.e., to the marks that are carried by DNA and the histone proteins it is associated with. These “epimutations” have consequences for gene expression and genome stability, and also contribute to tumoral initiation and progression. Some of these chromatin changes are very local, affecting just one or a few genes. In contrast, some chromatin alterations observed in cancer are more widespread and affect a large part of the genome. In this review, we present different types of large-scale chromatin rearrangements in cancer, explain how they may occur, and why they are relevant for cancer diagnosis and treatment. Abstract Epigenetic abnormalities are extremely widespread in cancer. Some of them are mere consequences of transformation, but some actively contribute to cancer initiation and progression; they provide powerful new biological markers, as well as new targets for therapies. In this review, we examine the recent literature and focus on one particular aspect of epigenome deregulation: large-scale chromatin changes, causing global changes of DNA methylation or histone modifications. After a brief overview of the one-dimension (1D) and three-dimension (3D) epigenome in healthy cells and of its homeostasis mechanisms, we use selected examples to describe how many different events (mutations, changes in metabolism, and infections) can cause profound changes to the epigenome and fuel cancer. We then present the consequences for therapies and briefly discuss the role of single-cell approaches for the future progress of the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kosuke Yamaguchi
- UMR7216 Epigenetics and Cell Fate, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, F-75006 Paris, France; (K.Y.); (X.C.)
| | - Xiaoying Chen
- UMR7216 Epigenetics and Cell Fate, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, F-75006 Paris, France; (K.Y.); (X.C.)
| | - Asami Oji
- RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (RIKEN BDR), Kobe 650-0047, Japan; (A.O.); (I.H.)
| | - Ichiro Hiratani
- RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (RIKEN BDR), Kobe 650-0047, Japan; (A.O.); (I.H.)
| | - Pierre-Antoine Defossez
- UMR7216 Epigenetics and Cell Fate, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, F-75006 Paris, France; (K.Y.); (X.C.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +33-157278916
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8
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UNOKI M, SASAKI H. The UHRF protein family in epigenetics, development, and carcinogenesis. PROCEEDINGS OF THE JAPAN ACADEMY. SERIES B, PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 2022; 98:401-415. [PMID: 36216533 PMCID: PMC9614205 DOI: 10.2183/pjab.98.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The UHRF protein family consists of multidomain regulatory proteins that sense modification status of DNA and/or proteins and catalyze the ubiquitylation of target proteins. Through their functional domains, they interact with other molecules and serve as a hub for regulatory networks of several important biological processes, including maintenance of DNA methylation and DNA damage repair. The UHRF family is conserved in vertebrates and plants but is missing from fungi and many nonvertebrate animals. Mammals commonly have UHRF1 and UHRF2, but, despite their high structural similarity, the two paralogues appear to have distinct functions. Furthermore, UHRF1 and UHRF2 show different expression patterns and different outcomes in gene knockout experiments. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the molecular function of the UHRF family in various biological pathways and discuss their roles in epigenetics, development, gametogenesis, and carcinogenesis, with a focus on the mammalian UHRF proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Motoko UNOKI
- Division of Epigenomics and Development, Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
- Department of Human Genetics, School of International Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki SASAKI
- Division of Epigenomics and Development, Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
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