Janus kinase 2: an epigenetic 'writer' that activates leukemogenic genes

Jin He; Yi Zhang

doi:10.1093/jmcb/mjp054

Janus kinase 2: an epigenetic 'writer' that activates leukemogenic genes

J Mol Cell Biol. 2010 Oct;2(5):231-3. doi: 10.1093/jmcb/mjp054. Epub 2010 Jan 5.

Authors

Jin He¹, Yi Zhang

Affiliation

¹ Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7295, USA.

PMID: 20051435
DOI: 10.1093/jmcb/mjp054

Abstract

Activation of Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) plays a critical role in normal hematopoiesis and leukemogenesis. Dawson et al. (2009; JAK2 phosphorylates histone H3Y41 and excludes HP1alpha from chromatin. Nature 461, 819-822) report that JAK2 performs this function by displacing the heterochromatin protein HP1α from chromatin through phosphorylation of histone H3.

MeSH terms

Chromobox Protein Homolog 5
Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / genetics
Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / metabolism
Epigenesis, Genetic*
Heterochromatin / genetics
Heterochromatin / metabolism
Histones / genetics
Histones / metabolism
Humans
Janus Kinase 2 / genetics
Janus Kinase 2 / metabolism*
Leukemia / enzymology*
Leukemia / genetics

Substances

CBX5 protein, human
Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone
Heterochromatin
Histones
Chromobox Protein Homolog 5
Janus Kinase 2