Researchers uncover unusual form of cross-talk between proteins that affect gene expression

Turning genes on and off is an intricate process involving communication between many different types of proteins that interact with DNA.These communications can go awry, resulting in conditions like cancer.TRIM24 is an oncoprotein, meaning it is found at a higher abundance in many types of cancer cells than in healthy cells.Previous research has shown that TRIM24 is, among other things, an epigenetic reader.In the new study,TRIM24 "read" histone modifications, but the act of reading resulted in TRIM24 itself being modified with a small protein tag called SUMO.TRIM24 turned on and off in cancer cells differed when TRIM24 didn't have SUMO attached.SUMO-modified TRIM24 seemed to be regulating genes involved in adhesion between cells.This is important because cell adhesion determines whether cancer cells stay in one spot or can travel and metastasize through the body....