Histone variant H2A.Z.2: A novel driver of melanoma progression

Histone variants are attracting attention in the field of cancer epigenetics. Our study has established a novel role for the uncharacterized histone variant H2A.Z.2 as a driver of malignant melanoma. H2A.Z.2 promotes cellular proliferation by recruiting BRD2 and E2F1 to E2F target genes and facilitating their transcription. High H2A.Z.2 expression correlates with poor survival in patients, and its depletion sensitizes cells to chemotherapy and targeted therapies.