The DOI matches its Crossref record; 38 of the 38 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Activation of the Protein Deacetylase SIRT6 by Long-chain Fatty Acids and Widespread Deacylation by Mammalian Sirtuins
Open accessAbstract
Mammalian sirtuins (SIRT1 through SIRT7) are members of a highly conserved family of NAD + -dependent protein deacetylases that function in metabolism, genome maintenance, and stress responses. Emerging evidence suggests that some sirtuins display substrate specificity toward other acyl groups attached to the lysine ϵ-amine. SIRT6 was recently reported to preferentially hydrolyze long-chain fatty acyl groups over acetyl groups. Here we investigated the catalytic ability of all sirtuins to hydrolyze 13 different acyl groups from histone H3 peptides, ranging in carbon length, saturation, and chemical diversity. We find that long-chain deacylation is a general feature of mammalian sirtuins, that SIRT1 and SIRT2 act as efficient decrotonylases, and that SIRT1, SIRT2, SIRT3, and SIRT4 can remove lipoic acid. These results provide new insight into sirtuin function and a means for cellular removal of an expanding list of endogenous lysine modifications. Given that SIRT6 is a poor deacetylase in vitro , but binds and prefers to hydrolyze long-chain acylated peptides, we hypothesize that binding of certain free fatty acids (FFAs) could stimulate deacetylation activity. Indeed, we demonstrate that several biologically relevant FFAs (including myristic, oleic, and linoleic acids) at physiological concentrations induce up to a 35-fold increase in catalytic efficiency of SIRT6 but not SIRT1. The activation mechanism is consistent with fatty acid inducing a conformation that binds acetylated H3 with greater affinity. Binding of long-chain FFA and myristoylated H3 peptide is mutually exclusive. We discuss the implications of discovering endogenous, small-molecule activators of SIRT6. Background: Sirtuins regulate metabolism, genome maintenance, and stress responses. Results: Long-chain free fatty acids stimulate SIRT6 deacetylase, and sirtuins display distinct but overlapping specificity for diverse acylated peptides. Conclusion: SIRT6 is activated by biologically relevant fatty acids, and long-chain deacylation is a general feature of sirtuins. Significance: Discovery of endogenous, small-molecule activators of SIRT6 demonstrates the therapeutic potential of compounds that promote SIRT6 function.
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“Additionally, some members of the sirtuin family mediate non-acetyl lysine acylations (for example, succinylation, malonylation and fatty acid acylation)13–15, the cellular functions of which are so far poorly understood16.”
From NAD+ metabolism and its roles in cellular processes during ageing (2021) · cites this paper as [13]
In the citing paper
“Unsurprisingly, given the range of their potential substrates, sirtuins 1, 216 and 317 were shown to be decrotonylases in vitro.”
From Histone deacetylase (HDAC) 1 and 2 complexes regulate both histone acetylation and crotonylation in vivo (2018) · cites this paper as [16]
In the citing paper
“To date, decrotonylase activity has been described for HDAC1-3 and Sirtuins 1-316–18,21,22.”
From Histone deacetylase (HDAC) 1 and 2 complexes regulate both histone acetylation and crotonylation in vivo (2018) · cites this paper as [16]
In the citing paper
“While some of the sirtuins, the NAD+-dependent HDACs, have been recognized as protein defatty-acylases,12,16,17 this is the first report of a zinc-dependent HDAC possessing this enzymatic activity.”
From HDAC8 catalyzes the hydrolysis of long chain fatty acyl lysine (2016) · cites this paper as [16]
In the citing paper
“Several NAD+-dependent deacetylase, SIRT1, SIRT2, SIRT3 and SIRT6, have been previously reported to possess lysine defatty-acylation activities.15-17”
From HDAC8 catalyzes the hydrolysis of long chain fatty acyl lysine (2016) · cites this paper as [16]
In the citing paper
“and SIRT1, 2, 3 and SIRT6 are capable of hydrolyzing long chain fatty acyl groups from lysine residues.15-17”
From HDAC8 catalyzes the hydrolysis of long chain fatty acyl lysine (2016) · cites this paper as [16]
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1 retracted
RETRACTED: Human SIRT6 Promotes DNA End Resection Through CtIP Deacetylation
Kaidi, A., Weinert, B. T., Choudhary, C., & Jackson, S. P. (2010) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1192049 · Cited by 366 · cited 1×
“In cells, the ability of SIRT6 to promote deacetylation of histones and non-histone proteins (18) seemed at odds with the low in vitro deacetylation rates (13, 19) and with the recently described demyristoylation activity (13).”
BackgroundRetractedTan, M., Luo, H., Lee, S., Jin, F., Yang, J. S., Montellier, E., Buchou, T., Cheng, Z., Rousseaux, S., Rajagopal, N., et al. (2011) · Cell · doi:10.1016/j.cell.2011.08.008 · Cited by 1,902 · cited 1×
“Crotonyllysine was identified as a histone modification in several eukaryotic cells types and is associated with active promoters or enhancers (11).”
BackgroundSirtuins in mammals: insights into their biological function
Michán, S., & Sinclair, D. A. (2007) · Biochemical Journal · doi:10.1042/bj20070140 · Cited by 1,750 · cited 1×
“SIRT6 is one of seven members of the mammalian NAD dependent protein deacetylases that are evolutionarily ancient (1).”
BackgroundGenomic Instability and Aging-like Phenotype in the Absence of Mammalian SIRT6
Mostoslavsky, R., Chua, K. F., Lombard, D. B., Pang, W. W., Fischer, M. R., Gellon, L., Liu, P., Mostoslavsky, G., Franco, S., Murphy, M. M., et al. (2006) · Cell · doi:10.1016/j.cell.2005.11.044 · Cited by 1,637 · cited 2×
“Recent studies indicate that SIRT6 plays critical roles in intermediary metabolism and genomic stability (2).”
BackgroundSirt5 Is a NAD-Dependent Protein Lysine Demalonylase and Desuccinylase
Du, J., Zhou, Y., Su, X., Yu, J. J., Khan, S., Jiang, H., Kim, J., Woo, J., Kim, J. H., Choi, B. H., et al. (2011) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1207861 · Cited by 1,429 · cited 1×
“The recent observation that SIRT5 prefers succinylated/malonylated substrates helps explain the observed low activity on acetylated substrates (8).”
BackgroundOmega-3 Fatty Acids and Inflammatory Processes
Calder, P. C. (2010) · Nutrients · doi:10.3390/nu2030355 · Cited by 1,116 · cited 1×
“For instance, omega-3 fatty acids, including eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5,n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6,n-3), are reported to exert beneficial effects against cardiovascular disease and inflammation (29, 30).”
BackgroundSIRT6 is a histone H3 lysine 9 deacetylase that modulates telomeric chromatin
Michishita, E., McCord, R. A., Berber, E., Kioi, M., Padilla-Nash, H., Damian, M., Cheung, P., Kusumoto, R., Kawahara, T. L. A., Barrett, J. C., et al. (2008) · Nature · doi:10.1038/nature06736 · Cited by 1,111 · cited 1×
“However, several prior studies indicated that SIRT6 acted through deacetylation of histonemarksH3K9Ac (14) and H3K56Ac (15), which modulated HIF1- -dependent (16), NF- B-dependent (17), and c-Myc-dependent (3) pathways.”
BackgroundKawahara, T. L. A., Michishita, E., Adler, A. S., Damian, M., Berber, E., Lin, M., McCord, R. A., Ongaigui, K. C. L., Boxer, L. D., Chang, H. Y., et al. (2009) · Cell · doi:10.1016/j.cell.2008.10.052 · Cited by 1,090
The sirtuin SIRT6 regulates lifespan in male mice
Kanfi, Y., Naiman, S., Amir, G., Peshti, V., Zinman, G., Nahum, L., Bar-Joseph, Z., & Cohen, H. Y. (2012) · Nature · doi:10.1038/nature10815 · Cited by 1,059 · cited 1×
“SIRT6 overexpression lowers LDL and triglyceride levels, improves glucose tolerance (4), and increases lifespan of male mice (5).”
BackgroundThe Histone Deacetylase Sirt6 Regulates Glucose Homeostasis via Hif1α
Zhong, L., D'Urso, A., Toiber, D., Sebastian, C., Henry, R. E., Vadysirisack, D. D., Guimaraes, A., Marinelli, B., Wikstrom, J. D., Nir, T., et al. (2010) · Cell · doi:10.1016/j.cell.2009.12.041 · Cited by 1,001 · cited 2×
“However, several prior studies indicated that SIRT6 acted through deacetylation of histonemarksH3K9Ac (14) and H3K56Ac (15), which modulated HIF1- -dependent (16), NF- B-dependent (17), and c-Myc-dependent (3) pathways.”
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Substrates and Cyclic Peptide Inhibitors of the Oligonucleotide Activated SIRT7Preprint
Bolding, J. E., Nielsen, A. L., Jensen, I., Hansen, T. N., Ryberg, L. A., Jameson, S. T., Harris, P., Peters, G. H. J., Denu, J. M., Rogers, J. M., et al. (2023) · bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · doi:10.1101/2023.06.16.545261
Self-citationSubstrates and Cyclic Peptide Inhibitors of the Oligonucleotide‐Activated Sirtuin 7**
Bolding, J. E., Nielsen, A. L., Jensen, I., Hansen, T. N., Ryberg, L. A., Jameson, S. T., Harris, P., Peters, G. H. J., Denu, J. M., Rogers, J. M., et al. (2023) · Angewandte Chemie · doi:10.1002/ange.202314597 · Cited by 1
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Characterization and kinetic analysis of Vc1509, a NAD+ dependent deacetylase from Vibrio cholerae
Jana, A., Mishra, P., Ghosh, R., Dhal, A. K., Beura, S., Mishra, A., & Modak, R. (2025) · Current Research in Biotechnology · doi:10.1016/j.crbiot.2025.100320
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Niu, Z. L., Zhang, L., Zhou, Y., & Wang, Z. A. (2025) · Current Protocols · doi:10.1002/cpz1.70251
“For example, peptide-based assays often fail to fully recapitulate cellular observations (Feldman et al., 2013).”
Development of ratiometric sirtuin fluorescence probes via cleavage of a coumarin dye
Kawaguchi, M., Komoda, U., Ieda, N., Ohta, Y., & Nakagawa, H. (2025) · Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition · doi:10.3164/jcbn.25-201
Balpınar, Ö., Ertuğrul, M. S., Ayan, A. K., & Tik, B. (2025) · Clinical and Experimental Health Sciences · doi:10.33808/clinexphealthsci.1545679
“It is thought that the reason for this situation may be the activation of SIRT6 sirtuins, which exhibit protein deacetylase activity, by linoleic and linolenic fatty acids (30).”
Wang, P., Miao, Z., Li, H., Zhou, M., Li, X., Wang, C., & Wang, Y. (2026) · Industrial Crops and Products · doi:10.1016/j.indcrop.2025.122580
A proteomic approach for understanding the metabolic adaptations in non-small cell lung cancer
Martín-Bernabé, A. (2018) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/426e7b40z057az4326z8cfez7da3a5c12c7e
Analyse multi-omique des acylations de lysines d'histones pendant la gamétogénèse
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Protein lipidation in cardiovascular homeostasis, development, and disease
Cully, D., Harrison, S., Sadovsky, M., Miner, G. E., & Edwards, W. D. (2026) · Clinical Science · doi:10.1042/cs20258047
Xu, M., Zhang, Z., Zhu, M., Zhang, S., Deng, J., Du, Z., Wang, Z., Zhao, H., & Qiu, Z. (2026) · Frontiers in Immunology · doi:10.3389/fimmu.2026.1820993
Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1)’in Sinyal Ağlarının Kardiyovasküler Hastalıklar Üzerindeki Etkisi
Pehlivan, E., Köseli, İ., & Ozsarlak‐Sozer, G. (2026) · Arşiv Kaynak Tarama Dergisi · doi:10.17827/aktd.1761387
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“These key aspects collectively determine their central roles in chromatin regulation, metabolic homeostasis, and disease pathogenesis, and represent a research hotspot in the field of epigenetics [ 90, 36].”
InfluentialTranslational perspectives in drug discovery
Khamle, A. R., Kore, V. D., Lakhera, A., Panda, S. K., Bhalla, M., & Gupta, P. S. S. (2026) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-443-45380-9.00013-4
Regional organization of nutrient absorption across the small intestine
Zwick, R. K., Sharpley, M., Rispal, J., Rabizadeh, S., Boffelli, D., & Klein, O. D. (2026) · Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology · doi:10.1038/s41575-026-01225-5
Butyrate causes loss of specific acetylation by the histone acetyltransferase p300
Jiang, M., Psoma, A., Lyu, J., Chiariello, M. G., Modderman, R., Bianchi, F., Incarnato, D., Marrink, . J., Jonkers, I. H., & van den Bogaart, G. (2026) · iScience · doi:10.1016/j.isci.2026.116528
“Moreover, since in vitro activity assays showed that SIRT2 is about 4-fold less active toward butyrylated than acetylated substrates, 34 SIRT2 will likely less efficiently deacti-vate butyrylated p300, which could further increase the global histone hyperacetylation.”
Mellott, D. M., Zhu, J., Fulcher, H., & Meek, T. D. (2026) · Biochemistry · doi:10.1021/acs.biochem.6c00374
The role of ageing-specific PTM remodeling in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury
Liu, Q., Luo, Q., Zhong, S., Liu, Y., Yang, S., Zhu, M., Zhai, W., Yang, W., Qiang, F., Ye, L., et al. (2026) · Ageing Research Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.arr.2026.103279
Targeting SIRT6: the design and therapeutic implications of activators and inhibitors
Shi, Y., Han, X., Li, X., Li, X., Fang, H., & Hou, X. (2026) · Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry · doi:10.1016/j.bmc.2026.118781
Zhang, Z., Xu, M., Zhang, S., Zhang, Z., Zhang, H., Wang, Z., Zhu, M., & Zhao, H. (2026) · Frontiers in Immunology · doi:10.3389/fimmu.2026.1912474
“Histone acetyltransferases such as p300 have been shown to possess crotonyltransferase activity, whereas several HDAC family members and sirtuins exhibit decrotonylase activity (104 – 107).”
Lipid metabolism and chromatin-associated sirtuin-dependent epigenetic reprogramming in cancer
Lagunas‐Rangel, F. A. (2026) · Molecular Biology Reports · doi:10.1007/s11033-026-12653-6
“For example, long-chain free fatty acids (FFAs), including myristate, oleate and linoleate, are direct allosteric activators of SIRT6 deacetylase activity [ 29].”
InfluentialHenghui, Y., Huang, J., Wang, Y., Meng, J., Fan, W., Shao, Y., Zhang, X., & Wang, S. (2026) · Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology · doi:10.1016/j.critrevonc.2026.105567
Investigation of the classical histone deacetylases and sirtuins using peptide technologies
Rogers, J. M., & Olsen, C. A. (2026) · Cell chemical biology · doi:10.1016/j.chembiol.2026.08.009
Structural and Enzymatic Basis for Impaired Deacylation of N -Acyl- N -Methyl Lysine Residues
Hilscher, S., Böttcher, P. H., Friedrich, F., Pannek, M., Baselious, F., Meleshin, M., Einsle, O., Bařinka, C., Steegborn, C., Sippl, W., et al. (2026) · Biochemistry · doi:10.1021/acs.biochem.6c00508 · Cited by 1
Zonated cholesterol sensing by SIRT2 drives MASLD-HCC
Zhang, Y., 龙喜带, Fu, Y., Tang, X., Luo, H., Zou, Z., He, W., Han, L., Li, Y., Luo, J., et al. (2026) · Cell Metabolism · doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2026.08.015
Lysine Acetylation as a Regulatory Mechanism in Cardiometabolic Disease: A Focus on Sirtuins
Trivedi, K., & Dolinsky, V. W. (2026) · Pharmaceuticals · doi:10.3390/ph19101557
“It plays an important role in DNA repair, genomic stability and more recently shown to exhibit deacylase activity towards long chain fatty acyl groups, linking SIRT6 to lipid metabolism [58].”
Physiological Significance and Functions of AA
Das, U. N. (2026) · Reviews of physiology, biochemistry and pharmacology · doi:10.1007/978-981-92-5964-9_4
The sirtuin family: from mechanisms to therapy
Xiao, J., Li, Y., Xie, Y., Chen, Y., Liu, Q., Li, H., & Sun, R. (2026) · Molecular Biomedicine · doi:10.1186/s43556-026-00631-0
“SIRT5 catalyses desuccinylation and dem-alonylation [10, 11], SIRT6 mediates long-chain deacylation [12], and select isoforms exhibit mono-ADP-ribosylation activity [13].”
BindingDB Entry 50016505: Defined stereoisomers of 2″-amino NAD
BindingDB (2023) · UC San Diego · doi:10.7270/q2bk1hdj
BindingDB (2022) · UC San Diego · doi:10.7270/q26d5xmr
BindingDB Entry 50048236: Bivalent SIRT1 inhibitors.
BindingDB (2018) · UC San Diego · doi:10.7270/q2319xw4
BindingDB Entry 50046340: Novel thiourea-based sirtuin inhibitory warheads.
BindingDB (2016) · UC San Diego · doi:10.7270/q2zw1npg
BindingDB (2022) · UC San Diego · doi:10.7270/q2xg9vz4
BindingDB Entry 50012971: Structural Basis for Activation of Human Sirtuin 6 by Fluvastatin.
BindingDB (2022) · UC San Diego · doi:10.7270/q208691t
BindingDB Entry 50010714: Unexpected small molecules as novel SIRT2 suicide inhibitors.
BindingDB (2021) · UC San Diego · doi:10.7270/q2bp06bk
BindingDB (2017) · UC San Diego · doi:10.7270/q2cj8cc2
BindingDB (2026) · UC San Diego · doi:10.7270/q2tx3m90
BindingDB Entry 50016008: Potent and Specific Activators for Mitochondrial Sirtuins Sirt3 and Sirt5.
BindingDB (2023) · UC San Diego · doi:10.7270/q2s75mb0
BindingDB Entry 50000621: Potent and Selective Inhibitors of Human Sirtuin 5.
BindingDB (2019) · UC San Diego · doi:10.7270/q2ww7m4j
BindingDB Entry 50018259: Emerging Therapeutic Potential of SIRT6 Modulators.
BindingDB (2024) · UC San Diego · doi:10.7270/q2mw2nb8
Metadata
- Authors
- Feldman, J. L., Baeza, J., & Denu, J. M.
- Affiliations
- University of Wisconsin–Madison (US)
- Corresponding author
- Denu, John M.
- Venue
- Journal of Biological Chemistry
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2013-10
- Volume
- 288
- Issue
- 43
- Pages
- 31350-31356
- ISSN
- 0021-9258 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC3829447
- OpenAlex
- W2061576857
- Cited by
- 637
- References
- 38
- Citations by year
- 2026: 23 · 2025: 34 · 2024: 36 · 2023: 44 · 2022: 50 · 2021: 61 · 2020: 55 · 2019: 53 · 2018: 66 · 2017: 47 · 2016: 73 · 2015: 53 · 2014: 37 · 2013: 5
- FWCI
- 26.42
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Journal of Biological Chemistry (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Cancer Institute (P30CA014520)
- National Institute of General Medical Sciences (GM-065386, R01GM065386, T32GM007215, R37GM059785)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Geriatrics and Gerontology › Sirtuins and Resveratrol in Medicine
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors Research
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Nuclear Structure and Function
- Keywords
- SIRT6, sirtuins, long-chain fatty acids, lysine acylation, histone H3, free fatty acids, enzyme activation, substrate specificity, myristoylation, NAD+-dependent deacetylase
- MeSH terms
- Acylation, Enzyme Activation, Fatty Acids, Histones, Humans, Hydrolysis, Sirtuins, Lipoylation, Sirtuin 1, Sirtuin 2, Sirtuin 3
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