Functions of Site-Specific Histone Acetylation and Deacetylation
Abstract
Histone acetylation regulates many cellular processes, and specific acetylation marks, either singly or in combination, produce distinct outcomes. For example, the acetylation pattern on newly synthesized histones is important for their assembly into nucleosomes by histone chaperones. Additionally, the degree of chromatin compaction and folding may be regulated by acetylation of histone H4 at lysine 16. Histone acetylation also regulates the formation of heterochromatin; deacetylation of H4 lysine 16 is important for spreading of heterochromatin components, whereas acetylation of this site serves as a barrier to this spreading. Finally, histone acetylation is critical for gene transcription, but recent results suggest that deacetylation of certain sites also plays an important role. There are many histone acetyltransferases (HATs) and deacetylases, with differing preferences for the various histone proteins and for specific sites on individual histones. Determining how these enzymes create distinct acetylation patterns and regulate the functional outcome is an important challenge.
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Histone acetylation at lysine residues on histones H3 and H4 generally promotes gene activation by loosening chromatin structure and facilitating recruitment of transcriptional regulators.
“Histone acetylation, particularly at lysine residues on histones H3 and H4, generally promotes gene activation by loosening chromatin structure and facilitating the recruitment of transcriptional regulators (Shahbazian and Grunstein, 2007).”
From Histone modifications and depression: epigenetic mechanisms, therapeutic targets, and translational outlook (2026) · cites this paper as Shahbazian and Grunstein, 2007
Previous reports postulate that an intramolecular hydrogen bond between the amine and carbonyl must be broken to permit successful zinc chelation, and a desolvation penalty is paid for this rearrangement.
“This is consistent with previous reports postulating that an intramolecular hydrogen bond between the amine and carbonyl must be broken to permit successful zinc chelation, and a desolvation penalty is paid for this rearrangement to occur (1, 25-28, 34).”
From Histone Deacetylase (HDAC) Inhibitor Kinetic Rate Constants Correlate with Cellular Histone Acetylation but Not Transcription and Cell Viability (2013) · cites this paper as [1]
Acetyl-CoA serves as the substrate for histone acetyltransferase enzymes that modify histone tails and thereby shape the epigenetic state of chromatin.
“Acetyl-CoA is also the substrate used by histone acetyl transferase (HAT) enzymes to modify histone tails as an integral determinant of the epigenetic state of chromatin in eukaryotic cells”
From Influence of Metabolism on Epigenetics and Disease (2013) · cites this paper as Shahbazian and Grunstein, 2007
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- Authors
- Shahbazian, M. D., & Grunstein, M.
- Affiliations
- University of California, Los Angeles (US)
- Venue
- Annual Review of Biochemistry
- Publisher
- Annual Reviews
- Published
- 2007-06-07
- Volume
- 76
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 75-100
- ISSN
- 0066-4154 (ISSN-L)
- 1545-4509
- OpenAlex
- W2158747282
- Cited by
- 1,635
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 49 · 2025: 58 · 2024: 81 · 2023: 67 · 2022: 95 · 2021: 95 · 2020: 99 · 2019: 78 · 2018: 75 · 2017: 99 · 2016: 97 · 2015: 80 · 2014: 101 · 2013: 111 · 2012: 99
- FWCI
- 6.12
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Annual Review of Biochemistry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of General Medical Sciences (GM42421, R01GM042421, GM23674)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Genomics and Chromatin Dynamics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors Research
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Epigenetics and DNA Methylation
- Keywords
- histone acetylation, histone deacetylation, histone acetyltransferase, histone deacetylase, histone chaperone, nucleosome assembly, chromatin condensation, heterochromatin, heterochromatin spreading, gene transcription, acetylation pattern
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Gene Expression Regulation, Heterochromatin, Histone Deacetylases, Histones, Humans, Multienzyme Complexes, Nucleic Acid Conformation, Nucleosomes, Substrate Specificity, Transcription, Genetic, Molecular Chaperones, Gene Silencing, Protein Subunits, Sirtuins, DNA Packaging, Histone Acetyltransferases
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