The post-translational modification of histone tails is the principal process controlling epigenetic regulation in eukaryotes. The lysine methylation of histones is dynamically regulated by two distinct classes of enzymes: methyltransferases and demethylases. JMJD5, which plays an important role in cell-cycle progression, circadian rhythms and embryonic cell proliferation, has been shown to be a JmjC-domain-containing histone demethylase with enzymatic activity towards H3K36me2. Here, the crystal structure of human JMJD5 lacking the N-terminal 175 amino-acid residues is reported. The structure showed that the Gln275, Trp310 and Trp414 side chains might block the insertion of methylated lysine into the active centre of JMJD5, suppressing the histone demethylase activity of the truncated JMJD5 construct. A comparison of the structure of JMJD5 with that of FIH, a well characterized protein hydroxylase, revealed that human JMJD5 might function as a protein hydroxylase. The interaction between JMJD5 and the core histone octamer proteins indicated that the histone proteins could be potential substrates for JMJD5.