Overview:

SETD8 or SET domain containing lysine methyltransferase 8 is a lysine methyltransferase that monomethylates p53 in human cell lines. The monomethylation by SETD8 suppresses p53-mediated transcriptional activation of highly responsive target genes, such as p21 (CDKN1A) and PUMA (BBC3) but it has little influence on weak p53 targets (1). Depletion of SET8 augmented the proapoptotic and checkpoint activation functions of p53, and SETD8 expression is downregulated during DNA damage. SETD8 is a Wnt signaling mediator and is recruited by LEF1/TCF4 to regulate the transcription of Wnt-activated genes, possibly through H4K20 monomethylation at the target gene promoters (2).

Gene Aliases:

PR-Set7, SET07, SET8

Genbank Number:

BC050346

References:

1. Shi, X. et al: Modulation of p53 function by SET8-mediated methylation at lysine 382. Molec. Cell 27: 636-646, 2007.

2. Li, Z. et al: Histone H4 Lys 20 monomethylation by histone methylase SET8 mediates Wnt target gene activation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011 Feb 22;108(8):3116-23.