JMJD2B Background Information JMJD2B (JmjC domain-containing histone demethylation protein 3A) is a 1,064 amino acid protein encoded by the human gene JMJD2B. JMJD2B belongs to the JMJD2B histone demethylase family and contains one JmjC domain, one JmjN domain, two PHD-type zinc fingers and two Tudor domains. The two Tudor domains recognize and bind methylated histones and have an interdigitated structure; the unusual fold is required for its ability to bind methylated histone tails. JMJD2B is a histone demethylase that specifically demethylates Lys 9 residues of Histone H3, thereby playing a role in histone code. It does not demethylate Histone H3 Lys 4, H3 Lys 27, H3 Lys 36 or H4 Lys 20, however, and is only able to demethylate trimethylated H3 Lys-9 and has weaker activity than JMJD2A, JMJD2C and JMJD2D. JMJD2B demethyl-ation of Lysine residues will generate formaldehyde and succinate. JMJD2B is a ubiquitously expressed nuclear protein.
