Phosphorylation of residues in the N-terminal tail of histone H3 signals different biological outcomes. High-resolution NMR analyses now reveal a mechanistic hierarchy of H3 phosphorylation events, whereby phosphorylation of Ser10 impedes the phosphorylation of Thr6 and Thr11 by PKC and Chk1, respectively. Because both enzymes also target Ser10, this establishes an autoinhibitory feedback loop on H3 tails.
- Stamatios Liokatis
- Alexandra Stützer
- Philipp Selenko