Molecular Biology of AT-Hook Motif Containing Proteins
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Biology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 29 June 2024 | Viewed by 1973
Special Issue Editors
Interests: high mobility group A (HMGA) proteins; chromatin; regulation of gene expression; protein–protein interactions; post-translational modifications (PTMs); epithelial–mesenchymal transition; proteomics; tumor microenvironment; breast cancer; metastasis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: High Mobility Group A (HMGA) proteins; chromatin; protein-protein interactions; post-translational modifications (PTMs); epigenetic; cancer; mass spectrometry; proteomic
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: molecular mechanisms of cancer cell transformation; PATZ1 in development and cancer; animal models; tumor biology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The AT-hook is a short DNA-binding protein motif that was first described in the family of High Mobility Group A (HMGA), and is responsible for the name given to this group of proteins. The AT-hook motif consists of a short sequence of 8–9 aminoacids centered around a arginine–glycine–arginine (RGR) peptide and surrounded by positively charged lysine and/or arginine aminoacids that interacts with the minor groove of AT-rich DNA, causing DNA bending involved in chromatin remodeling.
The AT-hook motif has been found in several proteins in a variable number of copies either alone or in combination with other DNA-binding motifs and, in this case, often conferring an auxiliary ability to bind DNA in the minor groove of chromatin factors and DNA-binding proteins, thus contributing to the overall DNA-binding ability of these molecules. Relevant examples of these proteins, besides the members of the HMGA family (HMGA1 and HMGA2), are Brahma related gene 1 (BRG1), POZ/BTB, and AT-hook containing zinc finger 1 (PATZ1), AT-hook transcription factor (AKNA), Snf2 related CREBBP activator protein (SRCAP), methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2), AT-hook DNA-binding motif-containing 1 (AHDC1), mixed-lineage-leukemia (MLL), SET binding protein 1 (SETBP1), and INO80 complex subunit B (INO80B), only to mention some. Most of them have been implicated in cancer, possibly suggesting their targeting as anti-cancer strategy.
AT-hook containing proteins have been found in several species ranging from Saccharomyces cerevisiae to Homo sapiens, it is therefore interesting to deepen our knowledge on this large group of proteins at the biochemical and functional level. Papers related to any aspect of AT-hook motifs containing proteins will be considered for this Special Issue.
Prof. Dr. Manfioletti Guidalberto
Dr. Riccardo Sgarra
Dr. Monica Fedele
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- AT-hook
- Chromatin
- DNA binding
- DNA minor groove
- transcription factors
- architectural factors
- chromatin remodeling
- enhanceosome
- epigenetic
Planned Papers
The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.
Batu Erman, Ph.D. Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Bogazici University, 34342 Bebek, Istanbul, Turkey
Title: Review or research article about PATZ1
Aristidis Moustakas, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Box 582 Biomedical Center Husargatan 3, Biomedical Center B11:3, SE-751 23 Uppsala, Sweden
Title: Review or research article about HMGA2
Sgarra Riccardo1, Fedele Monica2, Battista Sabrina2 and Guidalberto Manfioletti1
1) Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita, Università degli Studi di Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
2) National Research Council (CNR), Institute of Experimental Endocrinology and Oncology (IEOS), 80145 Naples, Italy
Title: "Binding to the other side: the AT-hook DNA binding domain allows nucler factors to exploit the DNA minor groove" (review)
Alfredo Fusco University of Naples Federico II, Napoli, Italy.
Title: “The combination of drugs inhibiting HMGA and EZH2 proteins activity leads to the death of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma cell lines” (research article)
Kazushi Imai Department of Biochemistry, Nippon Dental University
1-9-20 Fujimi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8159, Japan
Title: “HMGA2 in osteoblast-genesis and bone formation”. (review)
