The lysine acetyltransferase 6 (KAT6) histone acetyltransferase (HAT) complexes are highly conserved from yeast to higher organisms. They acetylate histone H3 and other nonhistone substrates and are involved in cell cycle regulation and stem cell maintenance. In addition, the human KAT6 HATs are recurrently mutated in leukemia and solid tumors. Therefore, it is important to understand the mechanisms underlying the regulation of KAT6 HATs and their roles in cell cycle progression. In this minireview, we summarize the identification and analysis of the KAT6 complexes and discuss the regulatory mechanisms governing their enzymatic activities and substrate specificities. We further focus on the roles of KAT6 HATs in regulating cell proliferation and stem cell maintenance and review recent insights that aid in understanding their involvement in human diseases.
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