Issue Archive

Research progress of histone 3 methyltransferase MLL4

GUO Hui-Hui¹, LU Sheng-Feng², CAI Yun¹, LIU Shu-Bao², ZHU Bing-Mei^2,*

¹Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Medicine Research of Ministry of Education, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China；²Regenerative Medicine Research Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China

Abstract

Mixed linked leukemia 4 (MLL4) is a specific methyltransferase of histone 3 position lysine 4 (H3K4). It is also one of the important members of COMPASS/Set1-like protein complex. Both MLL4 protein itself and its mediated H3K4 methylation modification can cause changes in chromatin structure and function, thus regulating gene transcription and expression. With the studies of MLL4 protein in recent years, the roles of MLL4 gene, MLL4 protein and protein complex in the development of tissues and organs, tumor diseases and other physiological and pathophysiological processes have been gradually revealed. In this paper, the research progress of MLL4 gene, MLL4 protein characteristics, biological function and its effect on disease were reviewed, in order to further understand the effect of histone methyltransferase on gene expression regulation, as well as its non-enzyme dependent function. This paper may provide new ideas for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of related diseases.

Key words: MLL4; H3K4; histone methylation; histone methyltransferase

Received: 2018-12-25　　Accepted: 2019-03-06

Corresponding author: 朱冰梅　　E-mail: zhubm64@hotmail.com

DOI: 10.13294/j.aps.2019.0051

Citing This Article：

GUO Hui-Hui, LU Sheng-Feng, CAI Yun, LIU Shu-Bao, ZHU Bing-Mei. Research progress of histone 3 methyltransferase MLL4. Acta Physiol Sin 2019; 71 (4): 637-644 (in Chinese with English abstract).