title: Poly(ADP-ribose): a co-regulator of DNA methylation?
abstract: The formation of multiprotein complexes is l'ordre du jour in regulatory pathways. In this issue of Oncogene, Reale et al. report the formation of a particularly sophisticated complex of two important regulatory enzymes, DNMT1 (DNA methyltransferase-1) and PARP-1 (poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase-1). The former evolved with a specific sequence motif binding the enzymatic product of the latter. The product, poly(ADP-ribose), bonds the two partners into a heterodimeric complex and, as a consequence, the catalytic function of DNMT1 is silenced. Thus, PARP-1 becomes a conditional negative regulator of DNMT1. In a larger perspective, Reale et al. highlight the potential role of PARP-1 as a co-regulator of DNA methylation leading to epigenetic reprogramming of cancer cells.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland. fra@vetpharm.unizh.ch
authors.forename: Felix R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Althaus
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018899:CpG Islands / Q000502:physiology; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism*; D000076123:DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferase 1; D004248:DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases / Q000502:physiology; D019175:DNA Methylation; D006801:Humans; D000071137:Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase-1; D011064:Poly Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose / Q000378:metabolism*; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D011064:Poly Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose; D004247:DNA; D000076123:DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferase 1; D004248:DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases; C000619380:DNMT1 protein, human; C000619381:Dnmt1 protein, mouse; C499321:Parp1 protein, mouse; D000071137:Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase-1; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases