InterPro domain: IPR044753

HELLS (helicase, lymphoid specific, also known as Lsh or SMARCA6) is a major epigenetic regulator crucial for normal heterochromatin structure and function [ 1 ]. HELLS is part of the DEAD-like helicase superfamily, a diverse family of proteins involved in ATP-dependent RNA or DNA unwinding [ 2 ]. This domain contains the ATP-binding region.

Proteins containing this domain also includes Irc5 from budding yeasts and DDM1 from Arabidopsis. DDM1 acts as a chromatin-remodeling factor required for the maintenance of genomic methylation [ 3 , 4 ].

1. Mutation of HELLS, a chromatin remodeling gene, gastric and colorectal cancers. Pathol Oncol Res 21, 851-2
2. From unwinding to clamping - the DEAD box RNA helicase family. Nat. Rev. Mol. Cell Biol. 12, 505-16
3. Deficient in DNA methylation 1 (DDM1) defines a novel family of chromatin-remodeling factors. J Biol Chem 278, 823-8
4. Helicase homologues maintain cytosine methylation in plants and mammals. Bioessays 24, 297-9