Chromatin dynamics in cancer cells Sandra Peiró

Molecular Cell (2012)

Methylation of lysine K4 (K4) within histone H3 has been linked to active transcription and is removed by LSD1 and the JmjC-domain-containing proteins by amino-oxidation or hydroxylation, respectively. Here we describe the deamination catalyzed by Lysyl oxidase-like 2 protein (LOXL2) as an unconventional chemical mechanism for H3K4 modification. Infrared spectroscopy and mass spectrometry analyses demonstrated that recombinant LOXL2 specifically deaminates tri-methylated H3K4. Moreover, LOXL2 activity is linked with the transcriptional control of CDH1 gene by regulating H3K4me3 deamination. These results reveal another H3 modification and provide a different mechanism for H3K4 modification.