EZH2

Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) is a histone-lysine N-methyltransferase enzyme (EC 2.1.1.43) encoded by EZH2 gene, that participates in histone methylation and, ultimately, transcriptional repression. EZH2 catalyzes the addition of methyl groups to histone H3 at lysine 27, by using the cofactor S-adenosyl-L-methionine. Methylation activity of EZH2 facilitates heterochromatin formation thereby silences gene function. Remodeling of chromosomal heterochromatin by EZH2 is also required during cell mitosis.

EZH2 is the functional enzymatic component of the Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2), which is responsible for healthy embryonic development through the epigenetic maintenance of genes responsible for regulating development and differentiation. EZH2 is responsible for the methylation activity of PRC2, and the complex also contains proteins required for optimal function (EED, SUZ12, JARID2, AEBP2, RbAp46/48, and PCL).

Mutation or over-expression of EZH2 has been linked to many forms of cancer. EZH2 inhibits genes responsible for suppressing tumor development, and blocking EZH2 activity may slow tumor growth. EZH2 has been targeted for inhibition because it is upregulated in multiple cancers including, but not limited to, breast, prostate, melanoma, and bladder cancer. Mutations in the EZH2 gene are also associated with Weaver syndrome, a rare congenital disorder, and EZH2 is involved in causing neurodegenerative symptoms in the nervous system disorder, ataxia telangiectasia.

EZH2 is the catalytic subunit of the Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2). EZH2's catalytic activity relies on its formation of a complex with at least two other PRC2 components, SUZ12 and EED.

As a histone methyltransferase (HMTase), EZH2's primary function is to methylate Lys-27 on histone 3 (H3K27me) by transferring a methyl group from the cofactor S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM). EZH2 is capable of mono-, di-, and tri-methylation of H3K27 and has been associated with a variety of biological functions, including transcriptional regulation in hematopoiesis, development, and cell differentiation.

EZH2 has also been identified as capable of methylating non-histone proteins.

EZH2, as a part of PRC2, catalyzes trimethylation of H3K27 (H3K27me3), which is a histone modification that has been characterized as part of the histone code. The histone code is the theory that chemical modifications, such as methylation, acetylation, and ubiquitination, of histone proteins play distinctive roles in epigenetic regulation of gene transcription. EZH2-mediated catalysis of H3K27me3 is associated with long term transcription repression.

EZH2, as well as other Polycomb group proteins, are involved in establishing and maintaining gene repression through cell division. This transcriptionally repressive state is thought to be due to PRC2/EZH2-EED-mediated H3K27 methylation and subsequent recruitment of PRC1 which facilitates condensation of chromatin and formation of heterochromatin. Heterochromatin is tightly packed chromatin which limits the accessibility of transcription machinery to the underlying DNA, thereby suppressing transcription.

During cell division, heterochromatin formation is required for proper chromosome segregation. PRC2/EED-EZH2 complex may also be involved in the recruitment of DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs), which results in increased DNA methylation, another epigenetic layer of transcription repression. Specific genes that have been identified as targets of EZH2-mediated transcriptional repression include HOXA9, HOXC8, MYT1, CDKN2A and retinoic acid target genes.