SRA

Histone methyltransferase SETD1A is critical for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell survival, but the molecular mechanism driving SETD1A gene regulation remains elusive. To delineate the role of SETD1A, we utilize a protein degrader technology to induce rapid SETD1A degradation in AML cell lines. SETD1A degradation results in immediate downregulation of transcripts associated with DNA repair and heme biosynthesis pathways. CRISPR-based functional analyses and metabolomics revealed an essential role of SETD1A to maintain mitochondrial respiration in AML cells. These SETD1A targets are enriched in head-to-head (H2H) genes. SETD1A degradation disturbs a non-enzymatic SETD1A domain-dependent cyclin K function, increases the mono-Ser5P RNA polymerase II (RNAP2) at TSS, and induces the promoter-proximal pausing of RNAP2 in a strand-specific manner. This study reveals a non-enzymatic role for SETD1A in transcriptional pause release and provides insight into the mechanism of RNAP2 pausing and its function in cancer. Overall design: 1) Examination of SETD1A targets in human MOLM-13 leukemia cell line, 2) Examination of histone modifications and RNAP2 modifications in SETD1A degraded MOLM-13 leukemia cell line. 3) Examination of elongation regulators in SETD1A degraded MOLM-13 leukemia cell line