A Genetically Encoded Allysine for the Synthesis of Proteins with Site-Specific Lysine Dimethylation

Zhipeng A. Wang, Yu Zeng, Yadagiri Kurra, Xin Wang, Jeffery M. Tharp, Erol C. Vatansever, Willie W. Hsu, Susie Dai, Xinqiang Fang, Wenshe R. Liu

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

38 Scopus citations

Abstract

Using the amber suppression approach, Nϵ-(4-azidobenzoxycarbonyl)-δ,ϵ-dehydrolysine, an allysine precursor is genetically encoded in E. coli. Its genetic incorporation followed by two sequential biocompatible reactions allows convenient synthesis of proteins with site-specific lysine dimethylation. Using this approach, dimethyl-histone H3 and p53 proteins have been synthesized and used to probe functions of epigenetic enzymes including histone demethylase LSD1 and histone acetyltransferase Tip60. We confirmed that LSD1 is catalytically active toward H3K4me2 and H3K9me2 but inert toward H3K36me2, and methylation at p53 K372 directly activates Tip60 for its catalyzed acetylation at p53 K120.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)212-216
Number of pages5
JournalAngewandte Chemie - International Edition
Volume56
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2 2017

Keywords

  • allysine
  • amber suppression
  • dimethyllysine
  • genetic code expansion
  • lysine dimethylation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Catalysis
  • General Chemistry

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