Histone acetyltransferase KAT8 is a ~52 kDa protein. Histone acetyltransferase that catalyzes histone H4 acetylation at 'Lys-5'- and 'Lys-8' (H4K5ac and H4K8ac) or 'Lys-16' (H4K16ac), depending on the context. Catalytic component of the MSL histone acetyltransferase complex, a multiprotein complex that mediates the majority of histone H4 acetylation at 'Lys-16' (H4K16ac), an epigenetic mark that prevents chromatin compaction. H4K16ac constitutes the only acetylation mark intergenerationally transmitted and regulates key biological processes, such as oogenesis, embryonic stem cell pluripotency, hematopoiesis or glucose metabolism. The MSL complex is required for chromosome stability and genome integrity by maintaining homeostatic levels of H4K16ac. The MSL complex is also involved in gene dosage by promoting up-regulation of genes expressed by the X chromosome. 1. Pardo, PS. et al. (2002) The Journal of biological chemistry 277, 50860-6. PMID: 123970792. Smith, ER. et al. (2005) Molecular and cellular biology 25, 9175-88. PMID: 162275713. Mendjan, S. et al. (2006) Molecular cell 21, 811-23. PMID: 165431504. Cai, Y. et al. (2010) The Journal of biological chemistry 285, 4268-72. PMID: 200188525. Kadlec, J. et al. (2011) Nature structural & molecular biology 18, 142-9. PMID: 212176998. Li, L. et al. (2020) The Journal of clinical investigation 130, 1431-1445. PMID: 317944319. Monserrat, J. et al. (2021) Nature cell biology 23, 401-412. PMID: 33837287 | 
