A New Chromatin-Cytoskeleton Link in Cancer

The set domain containing 2 (SETD2) histone methyltransferase, located at 3p2, specifically trimethylates lysine 36 of histone H3 (H3K36me3). H3K36me3 is an active mark involved in transcriptional elongation and RNA processing and a key regulator of DNA repair. In fact, SETD2 is the only methyltransferase that "writes" the H3K36me3 mark. Recent results from Park and colleagues have found a new role for SETD2 in the methylation of K40 of α-tubulin. Loss of SETD2 abolishes methylation of K40 of α-tubulin and results in a dysfunctional mitotic spindle and abnormalities in cytokinesis. Thus, SETD2 links chromatin and cytoskeleton homeostasis through its methyltransferase activity. These studies have important implications on the role of SETD2 mutations in promoting genomic instability and tumor progression. Mol Cancer Res; 14(12); 1173-5. ©2016 AACR.