Regulation of Mitotic Fidelity

Brown, Sarah R.

Student Work

Regulation of Mitotic Fidelity

Pubblico

SUV4-20 is a lysine methyltransferase responsible for the trimethylation of Histone 4 Lysine 20 (H4K20). Overexpression of SUV4-20 has been linked to cancer and mitotic defects. Preliminary data from the lab demonstrates that the regulation of Aurora B, a master regulator of mitotic chromosome segregation, is compromised when Suv4-20 is enriched at mitotic centromeres. In order to better understand the mechanism of SUV4-20 in mitotic regulation, a small molecule inhibitor called A196 was used to prevent the methyltransferase activity of the enzyme. My data suggest that the addition of the inhibitor decreased the trimethylation of H4K20. However, decreased H4K20 methylation did not correspond with a reduction in the number of mitotic defects that occurred. Consistent with this, inhibition of SUV4-20 methyltransferase activity has no effect on the level of Aurora B at centromeres. This suggests that SUV4-20 regulation of Aurora B is independent of its methyltransferase activity.

This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

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