In diploid eucaryotic cells, the chromatin fibers are about 20nM in diameter. They consist of two major components in equal amounts, DNA and the basic proteins called histones. Histones are believed to be regularly arranged in the deep grove of the DNA helix. The recurring positive charges of the histones form...

Covalent modification of histone proteins plays an important role in the regulation of gene expression. In particular, acetylation of lysine residue on core histone proteins alters nucleosomal conformation and thereby regulates the accessibility of transcriptional regulatory proteins to chromatin templates. The...

Histone deacetylase (HDAC) and histone acetyltransferase (HAT) are enzymes that regulate transcription by selectively deacetylating or acetylating the eta-amino groups of lysines located near the amino termini of core histone proteins (1). Eight members of HDAC family have been identified in the past several years...

Histone deacetylase (HDAC) and histone acetyltransferase (HAT) are enzymes that regulate transcription by selectively deacetylating or acetylating the eta-amino groups of lysines located near the amino termini of core histone proteins (1). Eight members of HDAC family have been identified in the past several years...