Regulation of TP53 Activity through Acetylation

Transcriptional activity of TP53 is positively regulated by acetylation of several of its lysine residues. BRD7 binds TP53 and promotes acetylation of TP53 lysine residue K382 by acetyltransferase EP300 (p300). Acetylation of K382 enhances TP53 binding to target promoters, including CDKN1A (p21), MDM2, SERPINE1, TIGAR, TNFRSF10C and NDRG1 (Bensaad et al. 2010, Burrows et al. 2010. Drost et al. 2010). The histone acetyltransferase KAT6A, in the presence of PML, also acetylates TP53 at K382, and, in addition, acetylates K120 of TP53. KAT6A-mediated acetylation increases transcriptional activation of CDKN1A by TP53. Acetylation of K382 can be reversed by the action of the NuRD complex, containing the TP53-binding MTA2 subunit, resulting in inhibition of TP53 transcriptional activity. Acetylation of lysine K120 in the DNA binding domain of TP53 by the MYST family acetyltransferases KAT8 (hMOF) and KAT5 (TIP60) can modulate the decision between cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Studies with acetylation-defective knock-in mutant mice indicate that lysine acetylation in the p53 DNA binding domain acts in part by uncoupling transactivation and transrepression of gene targets, while retaining ability to modulate energy metabolism and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and influencing ferroptosis.

Summary from Reactome (R-HSA-6804758), read 2026-09-23.