Functions of bromodomain-containing proteins and their roles in homeostasis and cancer

Bromodomains (BRDs) are evolutionarily conserved protein–protein interaction modules that are found in a wide range of proteins with diverse catalytic and scaffolding functions and are present in most tissues. BRDs selectively recognize and bind to acetylated Lys residues — particularly in histones...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Fujisawa, T, Filippakopoulos, P
Format: Journal article
Published: Nature Publishing Group 2017
Description
Summary:Bromodomains (BRDs) are evolutionarily conserved protein–protein interaction modules that are found in a wide range of proteins with diverse catalytic and scaffolding functions and are present in most tissues. BRDs selectively recognize and bind to acetylated Lys residues — particularly in histones — and thereby have important roles in the regulation of gene expression. BRD-containing proteins are frequently dysregulated in cancer, they participate in gene fusions that generate diverse, frequently oncogenic proteins, and many cancer-causing mutations have been mapped to the BRDs themselves. Importantly, BRDs can be targeted by small-molecule inhibitors, which has stimulated many translational research projects that seek to attenuate the aberrant functions of BRD-containing proteins in disease.