Dynamic regulation of histone lysine methylation by demethylases.
Recent studies demonstrated that histone methylation is not static but is dynamically regulated by histone methyltransferases and the newly discovered histone demethylases. This review discusses the chemical mechanisms for the known and potentially new classes of demethylases, the roles of these demethylases in chromatin and transcription, and their potential biological functions and connections to human diseases.
Shi
Yang
Y
Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, USA. yshi@hms.harvard.edu <yshi@hms.harvard.edu>
Whetstine
Johnathan R
JR
D000818:Animals; D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008239:Lysine / Q000378:metabolism*; D008745:Methylation; D010089:Oxidoreductases, N-Demethylating / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary
D002843:Chromatin; D006657:Histones; D010089:Oxidoreductases, N-Demethylating; D008239:Lysine