New publication in "Biochimie"

Alterations in the DNMT3A DNA methyltransferase are often found in AML tumors, most commonly mutations at R882 and R736. In this publication, we showed that the activity of the R736H mutant is stimulated under certain conditions. Biochemically, this effect is caused by a subunit interface becoming structurally more flexible when R736H and wildtype subunits interact. This then leads to an increased catalytic activity of these DNMT3A R736H/wildtype complexes. This can change the methylation of the DNA in cancer cells and thus modulate gene expression, causing furhter pathological effects.