Publications

• The transcriptional repressor JHDM3A demethylates trimethyl histone H3 lysine 9 and lysine 36.

  Klose R.J., Yamane K., Bae Y., Zhang D., Erdjument-Bromage H., Tempst P., Wong J., Zhang Y.

  Post-translational modification of chromatin has profound effects on many biological processes including transcriptional regulation, heterochromatin organization, and X-chromosome inactivation. Recent studies indicate that methylation on specific histone lysine (K) residues participates in many of ... >> More

  Post-translational modification of chromatin has profound effects on many biological processes including transcriptional regulation, heterochromatin organization, and X-chromosome inactivation. Recent studies indicate that methylation on specific histone lysine (K) residues participates in many of these processes. Lysine methylation occurs in three distinct states, having either one (me1), two (me2) or three (me3) methyl groups attached to the amine group of the lysine side chain. These differences in modification state have an important role in defining how methylated chromatin is recognized and interpreted. Until recently, histone lysine methylation was considered a stable modification, but the identification of histone demethylase enzymes has demonstrated the reversibility of this epigenetic mark. So far, all characterized histone demethylases show enzymatic activity towards lysine residues modified in the me1 or me2 state, leaving open the possibility that me3 constitutes an irreversible modification. Here we demonstrate that JHDM3A (jumonji C (JmjC)-domain-containing histone demethylase 3A; also known as JMJD2A) is capable of removing the me3 group from modified H3 lysine 9 (H3K9) and H3 lysine 36 (H3K36). Overexpression of JHDM3A abrogates recruitment of HP1 (heterochromatin protein 1) to heterochromatin, indicating a role for JHDM3A in antagonizing methylated H3K9 nucleated events. siRNA-mediated knockdown of JHDM3A leads to increased levels of H3K9 methylation and upregulation of a JHDM3A target gene, ASCL2, indicating that JHDM3A may function in euchromatin to remove histone methylation marks that are associated with active transcription. << Less

  Nature 442:312-316(2006) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 3 other entries.

• Drosophila Histone Demethylase KDM4A Has Enzymatic and Non-enzymatic Roles in Controlling Heterochromatin Integrity.

  Colmenares S.U., Swenson J.M., Langley S.A., Kennedy C., Costes S.V., Karpen G.H.

  Eukaryotic genomes are broadly divided between gene-rich euchromatin and the highly repetitive heterochromatin domain, which is enriched for proteins critical for genome stability and transcriptional silencing. This study shows that Drosophila KDM4A (dKDM4A), previously characterized as a euchroma ... >> More

  Eukaryotic genomes are broadly divided between gene-rich euchromatin and the highly repetitive heterochromatin domain, which is enriched for proteins critical for genome stability and transcriptional silencing. This study shows that Drosophila KDM4A (dKDM4A), previously characterized as a euchromatic histone H3 K36 demethylase and transcriptional regulator, predominantly localizes to heterochromatin and regulates heterochromatin position-effect variegation (PEV), organization of repetitive DNAs, and DNA repair. We demonstrate that dKDM4A demethylase activity is dispensable for PEV. In contrast, dKDM4A enzymatic activity is required to relocate heterochromatic double-strand breaks outside the domain, as well as for organismal survival when DNA repair is compromised. Finally, DNA damage triggers dKDM4A-dependent changes in the levels of H3K56me3, suggesting that dKDM4A demethylates this heterochromatic mark to facilitate repair. We conclude that dKDM4A, in addition to its previously characterized role in euchromatin, utilizes both enzymatic and structural mechanisms to regulate heterochromatin organization and functions. << Less

  Dev Cell 42:156-169.e5(2017) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 1 other entry.

• Heterochromatin protein 1a stimulates histone H3 lysine 36 demethylation by the Drosophila KDM4A demethylase.

  Lin C.H., Li B., Swanson S., Zhang Y., Florens L., Washburn M.P., Abmayr S.M., Workman J.L.

  Recent discoveries of histone demethylases demonstrate that histone methylation is reversible. However, mechanisms governing the targeting and regulation of histone demethylation remain elusive. Here we report that a Drosophila melanogaster JmjC domain-containing protein, dKDM4A, is a histone H3K3 ... >> More

  Recent discoveries of histone demethylases demonstrate that histone methylation is reversible. However, mechanisms governing the targeting and regulation of histone demethylation remain elusive. Here we report that a Drosophila melanogaster JmjC domain-containing protein, dKDM4A, is a histone H3K36 demethylase. dKDM4A specifically demethylates H3K36me2 and H3K36me3 both in vitro and in vivo. Affinity purification and mass spectrometry analysis revealed that heterochromatin protein 1a (HP1a) associates with dKDMA4A. We found that the chromo shadow domain of HP1a and a HP1-interacting motif of dKDM4A are responsible for this interaction. HP1a stimulates the histone H3K36 demethylation activity of dKDM4A, and this stimulation depends on the H3K9me-binding motif of HP1a. Finally, we provide in vivo evidence suggesting that HP1a and dKDM4A interact with each other and that loss of HP1a leads to an increased level of histone H3K36me3. Collectively, these results suggest a function of HP1a in transcription facilitating H3K36 demethylation at transcribed and/or heterochromatin regions. << Less

  Mol Cell 32:696-706(2008) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 1 other entry.

• Specificity and mechanism of JMJD2A, a trimethyllysine-specific histone demethylase.

  Couture J.F., Collazo E., Ortiz-Tello P.A., Brunzelle J.S., Trievel R.C.

  JMJD2A is a JmjC histone demethylase (HDM) that catalyzes the demethylation of di- and trimethylated Lys9 and Lys36 in histone H3 (H3K9me2/3 and H3K36me2/3). Here we present the crystal structures of the JMJD2A catalytic domain in complex with H3K9me3, H3K36me2 and H3K36me3 peptides. The structure ... >> More

  JMJD2A is a JmjC histone demethylase (HDM) that catalyzes the demethylation of di- and trimethylated Lys9 and Lys36 in histone H3 (H3K9me2/3 and H3K36me2/3). Here we present the crystal structures of the JMJD2A catalytic domain in complex with H3K9me3, H3K36me2 and H3K36me3 peptides. The structures reveal that histone substrates are recognized through a network of backbone hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions that deposit the trimethyllysine into the active site. The trimethylated epsilon-ammonium cation is coordinated within a methylammonium-binding pocket through carbon-oxygen (CH...O) hydrogen bonds that position one of the zeta-methyl groups adjacent to the Fe(II) center for hydroxylation and demethylation. Mutations of the residues comprising this pocket abrogate demethylation by JMJD2A, with the exception of an S288A substitution, which augments activity, particularly toward H3K9me2. We propose that this residue modulates the methylation-state specificities of JMJD2 enzymes and other trimethyllysine-specific JmjC HDMs. << Less

  Nat Struct Mol Biol 14:689-695(2007) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 1 other entry.

• Two Saccharomyces cerevisiae JmjC domain proteins demethylate histone H3 Lys36 in transcribed regions to promote elongation.

  Kim T., Buratowski S.

  Histone methylation is a reversible modification regulated by the antagonistic functions of residue-specific histone methyltransferases and demethylases. Although methylation of histone H3 at lysines 4 and 36 is linked to transcription, the roles of histone demethylases in transcription regulation ... >> More

  Histone methylation is a reversible modification regulated by the antagonistic functions of residue-specific histone methyltransferases and demethylases. Although methylation of histone H3 at lysines 4 and 36 is linked to transcription, the roles of histone demethylases in transcription regulation are not understood. Here we show that overexpression of either Jhd1 or Rph1, two JmjC-domain proteins, bypasses the requirement for the positive elongation factor gene BUR1. Biochemical analysis and chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments indicate that Rph1 functions as a specific demethylase for H3 K36me3 and K36me2, directly regulating Lys(36) methylation in transcribed regions. Both Jhd1 and Rph1 are required for normal levels of RNA polymerase II cross-linking to genes. Taken together, these findings indicate that a general function of histone demethylases for H3 Lys(36) is to promote transcription elongation by antagonizing repressive Lys(36) methylation by Set2. << Less

  J Biol Chem 282:20827-20835(2007) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 1 other entry.

• Reversal of histone lysine trimethylation by the JMJD2 family of histone demethylases.

  Whetstine J.R., Nottke A., Lan F., Huarte M., Smolikov S., Chen Z., Spooner E., Li E., Zhang G., Colaiacovo M., Shi Y.

  Histone methylation regulates chromatin structure, transcription, and epigenetic state of the cell. Histone methylation is dynamically regulated by histone methylases and demethylases such as LSD1 and JHDM1, which mediate demethylation of di- and monomethylated histones. It has been unclear whethe ... >> More

  Histone methylation regulates chromatin structure, transcription, and epigenetic state of the cell. Histone methylation is dynamically regulated by histone methylases and demethylases such as LSD1 and JHDM1, which mediate demethylation of di- and monomethylated histones. It has been unclear whether demethylases exist that reverse lysine trimethylation. We show the JmjC domain-containing protein JMJD2A reversed trimethylated H3-K9/K36 to di- but not mono- or unmethylated products. Overexpression of JMJD2A but not a catalytically inactive mutant reduced H3-K9/K36 trimethylation levels in cultured cells. In contrast, RNAi depletion of the C. elegans JMJD2A homolog resulted in an increase in general H3-K9Me3 and localized H3-K36Me3 levels on meiotic chromosomes and triggered p53-dependent germline apoptosis. Additionally, other human JMJD2 subfamily members also functioned as trimethylation-specific demethylases, converting H3-K9Me3 to H3-K9Me2 and H3-K9Me1, respectively. Our finding that this family of demethylases generates different methylated states at the same lysine residue provides a mechanism for fine-tuning histone methylation. << Less

  Cell 125:467-481(2006) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 4 other entries.