MYC, mitochondrial metabolism and O-GlcNAcylation converge to modulate the activity and subcellular localization of DNA and RNA demethylases

Mitochondria can function as signaling organelles, and part of this output leads to epigenetic remodeling. The full extent of this far-reaching interplay remains undefined. Here, we show that MYC transcriptionally activates IDH2 and increases alpha-ketoglutarate (αKG) levels. This regulatory step induces the activity of αKG-dependent DNA hydroxylases and RNA demethylases, thus reducing global DNA and RNA methylation. MYC, in a IDH2-dependent manner, also promotes the nuclear accumulation of TET1-TET2-TET3, FTO and ALKBH5. Notably, this subcellular movement correlated with the ability of MYC, in an IDH2-dependent manner, and, unexpectedly, of αKG to directly induce O-GlcNAcylation. Concordantly, modulation of the activity of OGT and OGA, enzymes that control the cycling of this non-canonical mono-glycosylation, largely recapitulated the effects of the MYC-IDH2-αKG axis on the subcellular movement of DNA and RNA demethylases. Together, we uncovered a hitherto unsuspected crosstalk between MYC, αKG and O-GlcNAcylation which could influence the epigenome and epitranscriptome homeostasis.