Role of N-α-acetyltransferase 10 Protein in DNA Methylation and Genomic Imprinting

Genomic imprinting is an allelic gene expression phenomenon primarily controlled by allele-specific DNA methylation at the imprinting control region (ICR), of which the underlying mechanism remains largely unclear. Mammalian N-α-acetyltransferase 10 protein (Naa10p) catalyzes N-α-acetylation of nascent proteins. Mutation of human Naa10p is linked to severe developmental delays. Here we report that Naa10-null mice display partial embryonic lethality, growth retardation, brain disorder and maternaleffect lethality, phenotypes commonly observed in defective genomic imprinting. Genome-wide analyses further revealed global DNA hypomethylation and enriched dysregulation of imprinted genes in Naa10p-knockout embryos and ES cells. Mechanistically, Naa10p facilitates the binding of DNA methyltransferase 1 (Dnmt1) to DNA substrates and recruits Dnmt1 to ICRs of the imprinted allele during S phase. Moreover, the clinical lethal Ogden syndrome-associated mutation of Naa10p disrupts its binding to H19-ICR and Dnmt1 recruitment. Our study thus links Naa10p mutationassociated human disease to defective DNA methylation and genomic imprinting.