Team
Protein methylation dynamics in cancer
Dpt: Signaling through Chromatin
Our research activities
Lysine methylation signaling is a dynamic process thanks to the lysine methyltransferases (KMTs, catalyzing addition of methyl groups), lysine demethylases (KDMs, erasing such modifications) and specific methyl-binders (promoting appropriate responses). Lysine methylation of histone proteins are known to fundamentally regulate chromatin function, however there is a growing appreciation that a number of non-histone proteins undergo lysine methylation. Thus, it is likely that many proteins involved in cell homeostasis are methylated and that deregulation in protein methylation signaling may play a role in various diseases. Despite the fundamental role for this modification in biology, relatively few protein lysine methylation substrates have been identified and the function of lysine methylation signaling rarely characterized. Our research aims to identify putative or poorly described KMTs involved in tumorigenesis and to characterize key and novel lysine methylation signaling in human cancer. The long-term goal of our research is to demonstrate the under-appreciated importance of lysine methylation signaling in cell homeostasis and to offer new promising clinical targets for cancer treatment. Our group was created in 2017 and has been recognized as an emerging team since early 2023.
Our research axes
The vast majority of lysine methyltransferases are still poorly characterized and for the most part their activity is unknown or not thoroughly analyzed. Several KMTs are overexpressed or altered in cancer and we aim to characterize key oncogenic lysine methylation signaling.
Learn moreBesides their functions in chromatin regulation, KMTs activities beyond histones modification have rarely been described. We aim to identify key non-histone methylation signaling involved in different biological processes regulating cell homeostasis.
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Lysine methylation is a finely regulated modification and a dynamic process thanks to demethylases. More than 30 demethylases have been identified in human, and very few have been characterized regarding potential activity on non-histone substrates. We aim to identify the related KDM counteracting key chromatin-independent cellular processes regulated by KMT.
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Our major publications
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Our collaborations
- Mazur lab, MD Anderson Cancer Center, University of Texas, USA
- EDyP Lab, IRIG, France
- Many others !
Our technologies
- High-throughput proteomics
- Cell engineering
- In vitro radiolabeled methylation assay
- Biochemistry and molecular biology tools
- Many more!