RING finger protein 4 (RNF4) derepresses gene expression from DNA methylation.

ABSTRACT: RNF4 is an E3 ubiquitin ligase originally identified as a transcription co-activator. The mechanism by which RNF4 promotes transcription remains unclear. In this study, I found that RNF4 antagonizes transcriptional repression mediated by DNA methylation. RNF4 does not promote DNA demethylation, but mediates the ubiquitination of MeCP2, a methyl-CpG-binding domain (MBD) protein. Removal of MeCP2 from gene promoters activates transcription. This study thus not only uncovers how RNF4 functions as a transcription activator, but also reveals the mechanism by which MeCP2 protein stability is regulated.

SUBMITTER: Wang Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4256315 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature