A higher-order complex containing AF4 and ENL family proteins with P-TEFb facilitates oncogenic and physiologic MLL-dependent transcription

Cancer Cell. 2010 Feb 17;17(2):198-212. doi: 10.1016/j.ccr.2009.12.040.

Abstract

AF4 and ENL family proteins are frequently fused with MLL, and they comprise a higher order complex (designated AEP) containing the P-TEFb transcription elongation factor. Here, we show that AEP is normally recruited to MLL-target chromatin to facilitate transcription. In contrast, MLL oncoproteins fused with AEP components constitutively form MLL/AEP hybrid complexes to cause sustained target gene expression, which leads to transformation of hematopoietic progenitors. Furthermore, MLL-AF6, an MLL fusion with a cytoplasmic protein, does not form such hybrid complexes, but nevertheless constitutively recruits AEP to target chromatin via unknown alternative mechanisms. Thus, AEP recruitment is an integral part of both physiological and pathological MLL-dependent transcriptional pathways. Bypass of its normal recruitment mechanisms is the strategy most frequently used by MLL oncoproteins.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Chromatin / metabolism
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / physiology*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic*
  • Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase
  • Humans
  • Methyltransferases / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Models, Biological
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Myeloid-Lymphoid Leukemia Protein / metabolism
  • Myeloid-Lymphoid Leukemia Protein / physiology*
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism
  • Nuclear Proteins / physiology*
  • Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / metabolism
  • Positive Transcriptional Elongation Factor B / metabolism*
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Transcriptional Elongation Factors / metabolism
  • Transcriptional Elongation Factors / physiology*

Substances

  • Chromatin
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • ELL protein, human
  • KMT2A protein, human
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Oncogene Proteins, Fusion
  • Transcriptional Elongation Factors
  • Myeloid-Lymphoid Leukemia Protein
  • AFF1 protein, human
  • DOT1L protein, human
  • Methyltransferases
  • Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase
  • Positive Transcriptional Elongation Factor B