Histone H2B ubiquitin ligase RNF20 is required for MLL-rearranged leukemia

Wang, E., Kawaoka, S., Yu, M., Shi, J., Ni, T., Yang, W., Zhu, J., Roeder, R. G., Vakoc, C. R. (March 2013) Histone H2B ubiquitin ligase RNF20 is required for MLL-rearranged leukemia. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 110 (10). pp. 3901-6. ISSN 1091-6490 (Electronic)0027-8424 (Linking)

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URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23412334
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1301045110

Abstract

Mixed-lineage leukemia (MLL) fusions are potent oncogenes that initiate aggressive forms of acute leukemia. As aberrant transcriptional regulators, MLL-fusion proteins alter gene expression in hematopoietic cells through interactions with the histone H3 lysine 79 (H3K79) methyltransferase DOT1L. Notably, interference with MLL-fusion cofactors like DOT1L is an emerging therapeutic strategy in this disease. Here, we identify the histone H2B E3 ubiquitin ligase ring finger protein 20 (RNF20) as an additional chromatin regulator that is necessary for MLL-fusion-mediated leukemogenesis. Suppressing the expression of Rnf20 in diverse models of MLL-rearranged leukemia leads to inhibition of cell proliferation, under tissue culture conditions as well as in vivo. Rnf20 knockdown leads to reduced expression of MLL-fusion target genes, effects resembling Dot1l inhibition. Using ChIP-seq, we found that H2B ubiquitination is enriched in the body of MLL-fusion target genes, correlating with sites of H3K79 methylation and transcription elongation. Furthermore, Rnf20 is required to maintain local levels of H3K79 methylation by Dot1l at Hoxa9 and Meis1. These findings support a model whereby cotranscriptional recruitment of Rnf20 at MLL-fusion target genes leads to amplification of Dot1l-mediated H3K79 methylation, thereby rendering leukemia cells dependent on Rnf20 to maintain their oncogenic transcriptional program.

Item Type: Paper
Subjects: diseases & disorders > cancer
diseases & disorders
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > protein structure, function, modification
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > protein structure, function, modification > protein types > enzymes
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > protein structure, function, modification > protein types > histone
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > protein structure, function, modification > protein types
bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > protein structure, function, modification > protein types > enzymes > ubiquitin ligase
CSHL Authors:
Communities: CSHL Cancer Center Program > Gene Regulation and Cell Proliferation
CSHL Cancer Center Shared Resources > Animal Services
CSHL Cancer Center Shared Resources > Bioinformatics Service
CSHL Cancer Center Shared Resources > DNA Sequencing Service
CSHL Cancer Center Shared Resources > Flow Cytometry Service
CSHL Cancer Center Shared Resources > Microarray Service
CSHL Cancer Center Shared Resources > Microscopy Service
CSHL Post Doctoral Fellows
CSHL labs > Vakoc lab
CSHL Cancer Center Shared Resources > Functional Genomics and Genetics Service
Depositing User: Matt Covey
Date: 5 March 2013
Date Deposited: 13 Mar 2013 19:50
Last Modified: 19 Jul 2021 15:19
PMCID: PMC3593849
Related URLs:
URI: https://repository.cshl.edu/id/eprint/27795

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