Histone mimics: digging down under

Abstract

Epigenetic deregulation is intimately associated with the development of human diseases. Intensive studies are currently underway to clarify the mechanism for the sake of achieving ideal diagnostic and therapeutic goals. It has been demonstrated that enzymes with histone-modifying activities can also target non-histone proteins, with the underlying mechanism remaining obscure. In this review, we focus on a novel histone mimicry strategy that may be wildly adapted during the non-histone substrate recognition process. Its potential clinical implications are also discussed.

Keywords: epigenetics; histone mimicry.

Figure 1

A model of transcription regulation using “histone mimicry”. A) Transcription factor(s) interacts with a specific histone-modifying enzyme using its histone-mimicking motif. B) The transcription factor binds its target gene using the DNA-binding domain, thus recruiting the enzyme to the chromatin region. C) The overabundant amount of histone proteins at the chromatin region outcompetes the histone-mimicking motif for enzyme-binding, allowing the enzyme to modify histone and regulate target gene transcription.