Epigenetic modifiers: catalytic or noncatalytic, that is the question

Epigenetic modifiers are enzymes that catalyze covalent chemical modifications on chromatin and thus play important roles in setting relatively stable states for gene expression and cell identity.It has been widely observed that mutations in epigenetic modifiers cause various types of human diseases,such as developmental defects and cancers.Therefore,deciphering how the mutations affect functions of the epigenetic modifiers in developmental and pathological conditions is crucial for understanding the underlying mechanisms and for identifying potential therapeutic targets.