title: Identification of a specific inhibitor of the histone methyltransferase SU(VAR)3-9.
abstract: Histone methylation plays a key role in establishing and maintaining stable gene expression patterns during cellular differentiation and embryonic development. Here, we report the characterization of the fungal metabolite chaetocin as the first inhibitor of a lysine-specific histone methyltransferase. Chaetocin is specific for the methyltransferase SU(VAR)3-9 both in vitro and in vivo and may therefore be used to study heterochromatin-mediated gene repression.
authors.affiliation: Adolf Butenandt Institute, Department of Molecular Biology, Histone Modifications Group, Ludwig-Maximillians University of Munich, Schillerstr. 44, 80336 Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Dorothea
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Greiner
authors.forename: Tiziana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bonaldi
authors.forename: Ragnhild
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Eskeland
authors.forename: Ernst
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Roemer
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Imhof
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics; D000076983:Histone Methyltransferases; D011495:Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000145:classification; D008780:Methyltransferases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009183:Mycotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D011042:Poisons / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011496:Protein Methyltransferases; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D009183:Mycotoxins; D010879:Piperazines; D011042:Poisons; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C002511:chaetocin; D000076983:Histone Methyltransferases; D008780:Methyltransferases; D011496:Protein Methyltransferases; C445404:SU(VAR)3-9; D011495:Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase