Project description:We have recently discovered a class of anti-cancer agents, curaxins, which suppress transcription of oncogenes. Here we demonstrate that curaxins preferentially downregulate expression of genes controlled by enhancers and super-enhancers via interrupting enhancer/promoter spatial communication. Our observations made both on a model of enhancer-regulated transcription of chromatinized template and on cultured cancer cells allow classifying curaxins as a novel type of epigenetic drugs that target the 3D genome organization.
Project description:We have recently discovered a class of anti-cancer agents, curaxins, which suppress transcription of oncogenes. Here we demonstrate that curaxins preferentially downregulate expression of genes controlled by enhancers and super-enhancers via interrupting enhancer/promoter spatial communication. Our observations made both on a model of enhancer-regulated transcription of chromatinized template and on cultured cancer cells allow classifying curaxins as a novel type of epigenetic drugs that target the 3D genome organization.