Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 16, 2026

Single-Step Enrichment of a TAP-Tagged Histone Deacetylase of the Filamentous Fungus Aspergillus nidulans for Enzymatic Activity Assay
Published on: May 1, 2019
Chemical phylogenetics of histone deacetylases
James E Bradner1, Nathan West, Melissa L Grachan
1[1] Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. [2] Chemical Biology Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. [3] Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Abstract:
The broad study of histone deacetylases in chemistry, biology and medicine relies on tool compounds to derive mechanistic insights. A phylogenetic analysis of class I and II histone deacetylases (HDACs) as targets of a comprehensive, structurally diverse panel of inhibitors revealed unexpected isoform selectivity even among compounds widely perceived as nonselective. The synthesis and study of a focused library of cinnamic hydroxamates allowed the identification of, to our knowledge, the first nonselective HDAC inhibitor. These data will guide a more informed use of HDAC inhibitors as chemical probes and therapeutic agents.
Related Concept Videos
Histone Modification
Acetylation
The enzyme histone acetyltransferase adds acetyl group to the histones. Another enzyme, histone deacetylase,...
Histone Modification
Acetylation
The enzyme histone acetyltransferase adds acetyl group to the histones. Another enzyme, histone deacetylase,...
Spreading of Chromatin Modifications
Writers
The writer is an enzyme that can...
Histone Variants at the Centromere
Inheritance of Chromatin Structures
The Nucleosome Core Particle
Nucleosomes, paradoxically, perform two opposite functions simultaneously. On the one hand, their primary aim is to protect the delicate DNA strands from physical damage and help achieve a higher compaction ratio. On the other hand, they must allow polymerase enzymes to access histone-bound DNA during...

