Epigenetic Mechanisms Link Chromatin Expression to the Cell’s Metabolic State Through Key Metabolites Such as Acetyl-CoA, and this Review Examines how Cancer-Related Metabolites can Disrupt these Processes.
Epigenetic mechanisms link chromatin expression to the cell’s metabolic state through key metabolites such as acetyl-coA, and this review examines how cancer-related metabolites can disrupt these processes.
Epigenetic mechanisms allow cells to inherit information through DNA methylation and histone protein modifications. These changes affect chromatin structure and help proteins recognize specific modifications, with each modification requiring an enzyme that uses important metabolites. The removal of these marks also uses different metabolites, linking chromatin expression to the cell’s metabolic state. This review highlights the key roles of acetyl-CoA, S-adenosyl methionine, NAD(+), and other acyl-CoA derivatives in these processes and examines how metabolites from cancer mutations can disrupt the epigenetic program.