Unveiling the role of GAS41 in cancer progression

GAS41, a member of the human YEATS domain family, plays a pivotal role in human cancer development. It serves as a highly promising epigenetic reader, facilitating precise regulation of cell growth and development by recognizing essential histone modifications, including histone acetylation, benzoylation, succinylation, and crotonylation. Functional readouts of these histone modifications often coincide with cancer progression. In addition, GAS41 functions as a novel oncogene, participating in numerous signaling pathways. Here, we summarize the epigenetic functions of GAS41 and its role in the carcinoma progression. Moving forward, elucidating the downstream target oncogenes regulated by GAS41 and the developing small molecule inhibitors based on the distinctive YEATS recognition properties will be pivotal in advancing this research field. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-023-03098-z.