Overview:

SUV39H1 is a histone H3-specific methyltransferases that selectively methylates lysine-9 of the N terminus of histone H3 in vitro (1). SUV39H1 is also a member of the suppressor of variegation 3-9 homolog family and encodes a protein with a chromodomain and a C-terminal SET domain. SUV39H1 moves to the centromeres during mitosis where it functions as a histone methyltransferase, methylating Lys-9 of histone H3. SUV39H1 activity is regulated by acetylation at lysine residue 266 in its catalytic SET domain by SIRT1. SIRT1 interacts directly with, recruits, and deacetylates SUV39H1, and these activities independently contribute to elevated levels of SUV39H1 activity resulting in increased levels of the H3K9me3 modification (2).

Gene Aliases:

KMT1A; MG44; SUV39H

Genbank Number:

NM_003173

References:

1. Rea, S.et al: Regulation of chromatin structure by site-specific histone H3 methyltransferases. Nature 406: 593-599, 2000.

2. Vaquero, A. et al: SIRT1 regulates the histone methyl-transferase SUV39H1 during heterochromatin formation. Nature 450: 440-444, 2007.