Histone Acetylation Enzymes Coordinate Metabolism and Gene Expression

• Published in: Trends in plant science 2015-10, Vol.20 (10), p.614-621
• Main Authors: Shen, Yuan, Wei, Wei, Zhou, Dao-Xiu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetyl Coenzyme A - metabolism; acetyl-CoA; Acetylation; Epigenesis, Genetic; gene expression; HAT; HDAC; Histone Acetyltransferases - metabolism; Histone Deacetylases - metabolism; Histones - metabolism; Lysine - metabolism; metabolism; NAD; NAD - metabolism; Plants - enzymology
• ISSN: 1360-1385; 1878-4372
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2015.07.005

Histone lysine acetylation is well known for being important in the epigenetic regulation of gene expression in eukaryotic cells. Recent studies have uncovered a plethora of acetylated proteins involved in important metabolic pathways, such as photosynthesis and respiration in plants. Enzymes involved in histone acetylation and deacetylation are being identified as regulators of acetylation of metabolic enzymes. Importantly, key metabolites, such as acetyl-CoA and NAD+, are involved in protein acetylation and deacetylation processes, and their cellular levels may regulate the activity of histone acetyltransferases (HAT) and deacetylases (HDAC). Further research is required to determine whether and how HATs and HDACs sense cellular metabolite signals to control gene expression and metabolic enzyme activity through lysine acetylation and deacetylation. Protein lysine acetylation has recently emerged as a widespread reversible modification occurring on histones and nonhistone proteins, including key metabolic enzymes. Histone acetylation level is controlled by the activity of both histone acetyltransferases (HATs) and deacetylase (HDACs), some of which have been identified to acetylate or deacetylate nonhistone proteins. Acetyl-CoA can act as a metabolic signal for cell growth by promoting histone acetylation at growth-related genes via regulating the activity of specific acetyltransferase, whereas the NAD+ level may influence NAD+-dependent Sirtuin 2 (SIR2) lysine deacetylases. Thus, HATs and HDACs may sense cellular metabolite levels to coordinate cellular energy and redox status with gene expression and metabolic activity to control plant growth.