G9a

Background Information:

G9a is an epigenetic protein that plays an important role in regulating gene expression by modifying the structure of chromatin, the material that makes up chromosomes. Specifically, G9a is a histone methyltransferase, which means it adds chemical modifications (methyl groups) to histone proteins. Histones are the proteins around which DNA is coiled, and modifications to histones can either promote or inhibit gene expression, depending on the location and type of modification. G9a primarily adds methyl groups to histone H3 at a specific location called lysine 9 (hence the name G9a). This modification, known as H3K9me2, is associated with a more compact chromatin structure that typically represses gene expression. Therefore, G9a is often considered a gene silencer. G9a has been implicated in a variety of biological processes, including embryonic development, stem cell differentiation, and cancer.

Target Class:

Epigenetic

Family:

Histone Methyltransferase (HMT)

Sub Family:

Writer

Protein Name:

G9A

Protein Aliases:

Euchromatic histone-lysine N-methyltransferase 2|HLA-B-associated transcript 8|Histone H3-K9 methyltransferase 3|H3-K9-HMTase 3|Lysine N-methyltransferase 1C|Protein G9a

Accession Number:

NM_006709

UniProt Number:

Q96KQ7

Gene Name:

EHMT2

Gene ID:

10919

Gene Aliases:

G9A|Em:AF134726.3|NG36/G9a|KMT1C

Target Species:

Human