Characterization of the zinc finger proteins ZMYM2 and ZMYM4 as novel B-MYB binding proteins

Sci Rep. 2020 May 21;10(1):8390. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-65443-w.

Abstract

B-MYB, a highly conserved member of the MYB transcription factor family, is expressed ubiquitously in proliferating cells and plays key roles in important cell cycle-related processes, such as control of G2/M-phase transcription, cytokinesis, G1/S-phase progression and DNA-damage reponse. Deregulation of B-MYB function is characteristic of several types of tumor cells, underlining its oncogenic potential. To gain a better understanding of the functions of B-MYB we have employed affinity purification coupled to mass spectrometry to discover novel B-MYB interacting proteins. Here we have identified the zinc-finger proteins ZMYM2 and ZMYM4 as novel B-MYB binding proteins. ZMYM4 is a poorly studied protein whose initial characterization reported here shows that it is highly SUMOylated and that its interaction with B-MYB is stimulated upon induction of DNA damage. Unlike knockdown of B-MYB, which causes G2/M arrest and defective cytokinesis in HEK293 cells, knockdown of ZMYM2 or ZMYM4 have no obvious effects on the cell cycle of these cells. By contrast, knockdown of ZMYM2 strongly impaired the G1/S-phase progression of HepG2 cells, suggesting that ZMYM2, like B-MYB, is required for entry into S-phase in these cells. Overall, our work identifies two novel B-MYB binding partners with possible functions in the DNA-damage response and the G1/S-transition.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Carrier Proteins / genetics
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / genetics
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / metabolism*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • G1 Phase
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / genetics
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / metabolism
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Hep G2 Cells
  • Humans
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • S Phase
  • Sumoylation
  • Trans-Activators / genetics
  • Trans-Activators / metabolism*
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Zinc Fingers

Substances

  • Carrier Proteins
  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • MYBL2 protein, human
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Trans-Activators
  • Transcription Factors
  • ZMYM2 protein, human
  • ZMYM4 protein, human
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins