Primary Citation of Related Structures:   9L1X, 9L22
PubMed Abstract: 
DEK is a highly conserved chromatin-associated oncoprotein that has important roles in regulating chromatin dynamics and stem cell fate. Dysregulation of DEK is associated with stem cell dysfunction and cancers, including acute myeloid leukemia. Despite its importance in chromatin regulation, the structural mechanisms underlying DEK's interaction with chromatin and its influence on gene regulation remain poorly understood. Here we combined cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM), biochemical and cellular approaches to investigate the molecular mechanisms and functional importance of DEK's interaction with chromatin. Our cryo-EM structures reveal the structural basis of the DEK-nucleosome interaction. Biochemical and cellular results demonstrate that this interaction is crucial for DEK deposition onto chromatin. Furthermore, our results reveal that DEK safeguards mouse embryonic stem cells from acquiring primitive endoderm fates by modulating the repressive histone mark H3K27me3. Together, our study provides crucial molecular insights into the structure and function of DEK, establishing a framework for understanding its roles in chromatin biology and cell fate determination.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China.
Hunan Key Laboratory of Molecular Precision Medicine, Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
Institute for Biological Electron Microscopy, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.
Department of Chemical Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.
Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.
Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.
Department of Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA Medicine, Medical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Center for Human Tissues and Organs Degeneration, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China.
Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China. cuihh@sustech.edu.cn.
Department of Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China. cuihh@sustech.edu.cn.
Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China. yuankai@csu.edu.cn.
Hunan Key Laboratory of Molecular Precision Medicine, Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China. yuankai@csu.edu.cn.
National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China. yuankai@csu.edu.cn.
Institute for Biological Electron Microscopy, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China. huanghd@sustech.edu.cn.
Department of Chemical Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China. huanghd@sustech.edu.cn.
Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China. huanghd@sustech.edu.cn.