The journal Molecular and Cellular Biology has published "Arginine methylation by PRMT5 at a naturally-occurring mutation site is critical for liver metabolic regulation by Small Heterodimer Partner" by corresponding author Associate Professor of Molecular and Integrative Physiology Jongsook Kim Kemper and colleagues.
About the findings, Kemper reports:
"Small Heterodimer Partner (SHP) is critical in maintaining cholesterol and bile acid levels. In response to elevated bile acids, SHP levels are increased by both gene induction and SHP protein stabilization. Kanamaluru et al. now show that SHP activity is also increased by methylation at Arg-57 by PRMT5. Arg-57 methylation increases SHP activity by enhancing interaction with its corepressors, mSin3A/HDAC1and Brm. Adenovirus-mediated expression of Arg-57 mutants suggests that Arg-57 methylation is important for SHP inhibition of lipid and glucose metabolic target genes and subsequent beneficial metabolic outcomes. Interestingly, a natural mutation at Arg-57 is associated with human metabolic disorders. "
The article has been published online, and will appear in print in a special "Spotlight" section of MCB in April.