Human ALKBH4 interacts with proteins associated with transcription

PLoS One. 2012;7(11):e49045. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0049045. Epub 2012 Nov 8.

Abstract

The Fe(II)- and 2-oxoglutarate (2OG)-dependent dioxygenase AlkB from E. coli is a demethylase which repairs alkyl lesions in DNA, as well as RNA, through a direct reversal mechanism. Humans possess nine AlkB homologs (ALKBH1-8 and FTO). ALKBH2 and ALKBH3 display demethylase activities corresponding to that of AlkB, and both ALKBH8 and FTO are RNA modification enzymes. The biochemical functions of the rest of the homologs are still unknown. To increase our knowledge on the functions of ALKBH4 and ALKBH7 we have here performed yeast two-hybrid screens to identify interaction partners of the two proteins. While no high-confidence hits were detected in the case of ALKBH7, several proteins associated with chromatin and/or involved in transcription were found to interact with ALKBH4. For all interaction partners, the regions mediating binding to ALKBH4 comprised domains previously reported to be involved in interaction with DNA or chromatin. Furthermore, some of these partners showed nuclear co-localization with ALKBH4. However, the global gene expression pattern was only marginally altered upon ALKBH4 over-expression, and larger effects were observed in the case of ALKBH7. Although the molecular function of both proteins remains to be revealed, our findings suggest a role for ALKBH4 in regulation of gene expression or chromatin state.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • AlkB Homolog 4, Lysine Demethylase
  • Carboxy-Lyases / genetics*
  • Carboxy-Lyases / metabolism*
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Nucleus / genetics
  • Cell Nucleus / metabolism
  • Chromatin / genetics
  • DNA / genetics
  • DNA Methylation / genetics
  • Dioxygenases
  • E1A-Associated p300 Protein / genetics
  • E1A-Associated p300 Protein / metabolism
  • Gene Expression / genetics
  • HCT116 Cells
  • HEK293 Cells
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Protein Binding / genetics
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary / genetics
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Transcriptional Elongation Factors / genetics
  • Transcriptional Elongation Factors / metabolism

Substances

  • Chromatin
  • ELL protein, human
  • Transcriptional Elongation Factors
  • DNA
  • Dioxygenases
  • ALKBH4 protein, human
  • AlkB Homolog 4, Lysine Demethylase
  • E1A-Associated p300 Protein
  • EP300 protein, human
  • Carboxy-Lyases

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Norwegian Cancer Society (www.kreftforeningen.no, grant number PR-2007-0132), the Research Council of Norway (www.forskningsradet.no, FUGE program grant number 159013/S10) and the Polish-Norwegian Research Fund (www.fbn.opi.org.pl, grant number PNRF-143-AI-1/07). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.