Enzymes histone deacetylases

Beside coactivators so-called corepressors exist that are bound to transcription factors such as nuclear receptors and inhibit the initiation of transcription. These factors include the nuclear receptor corepressor (NCoR) and the silencing mediator of retinoic acid and thyroid hormone receptor (SMRT), which interact with nuclear receptors and serve as platforms for complexes containing histone deacetylases (HDACs). These enzymes cause the reversal of histone acetylation of histones leading to a tightening of chromatin and enhancing its inaccessibility for RNA polymerase containing complexes. 

Before our work [39], only one catalytic mechanism for zinc dependent HDACs has been proposed in the literature, which was originated from the crystallographic study of HDLP [47], a histone-deacetylase-like protein that is widely used as a model for class-I HDACs. In the enzyme active site, the catalytic metal zinc is penta-coordinated by two asp residues, one histidine residues as well as the inhibitor [47], Based on their crystal structures, Finnin et al. [47] postulated a catalytic mechanism for HDACs in which the first reaction step is analogous to the hydroxide mechanism for zinc proteases zinc-bound water is a nucleophile and Zn2+ is five-fold coordinated during the reaction process. However, recent experimental studies by Kapustin et al. suggested that the transition state of HDACs may not be analogous to zinc-proteases [48], which cast some doubts on this mechanism. 

One of the most-studied covalent modifications is the acetylation of the lysine residues of histone tails. The acetylation state of lysines of nucleosomal histones modulates chromatin structure and regulates gene transcriptional activity. The balance of lysine acetylation is controlled by the antagonistic action of two enzyme families histone deacetylases (HDACs) and histone acetyltransferases (HATs). In humans there are essentially three main HDAC subclasses [6]. 

S. M., and Eisenman, R. N., Histone deacetylase 6 binds polyubiquitin through its zinc finger (PAZ domain) and copurifies with deubiquitinating enzymes, Proc. Natl. Acad. Scl USA, 2002, 99, 13425. 

Acetylation of internal lysine residues of core histone N-terminal domains has been found correlatively associated with gene transcription in eukaryotes for more than four decades. Histone acetylation levels are the result of a competition between two families of enzymes histone acetyltransferases (HATs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs). 

Histone deacetylases (HDAGs) catalyze the removal of acetyl groups from the Ne atom of histone lysines in a nucleosomal context, ensuring the reversibility of histone acetylation. Histone deacetylation is often associated vdth transcriptional repression and silencing since it promotes chromatin higher order structures and the recruitment of silencers [34]. As other enzymes involved in chromatin... 

The sirtuins (silent information regulator 2-related proteins class III HDACs) form a specific class of histone deacetylases. First, they do not share any sequence or structural homology with the other HDACs. Second, they do not require zinc for activity, but rather use the oxidized form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD ) as cofactor. The reaction catalyzed by these enzymes is the conversion of histones acetylated at specific lysine residues into deacetylated histones, the other products of the reaction being nicotinamide and the metabolite 2 -0-acetyl-adenosine diphosphate ribose (OAADPR) [51, 52]. As HATs and other HDACs, sirtuins not only use acetylated histones as substrates but can also deacetylate other proteins. Intriguingly, some sirtuins do not display any deacetylase activity but act as ADP-ribosyl transferases. 

So far 18 different members of HDACs have been discovered in humans and classified into four classes based on their homology to yeast histone deacetylases [33]. Class I includes four different subtypes (HDACl, 2, 3, 8), class II contains six subtypes tvhich are divided into two subclasses class Ila with subtypes HDAC4, 5, 7, 9 and class Ilb with HDAC6, 10. Class I and class II HDAC share significant structural homology, especially within the highly conserved catalytic domains. HDACs 6 and 10 are unique as they have two catalytic domains. HDACll is referred to as class IV. While the activity of class I, II and IV HDACs depends on a zinc based catalysis mechanism, the class III enzymes, also called sirtuins, require nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide as a cofactor for their catalysis. 

Remiszewski, S.W., Samhucetti, L.C., Atadja, P., Bair, KW., Cornell, W.D., Green, M.A. et al. (2002) Inhihitors of human histone deacetylase Synthesis and enzyme and cellular activity of straight chain hydroxamates. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 45, 753—757. 

Enzymes that cleave off modifications may be assayed by measuring the formation of either the protein or a protein-mimicking substrate or the small molecule produd or byproducts (like acetate for histone deacetylases, or formaldehyde or hydrogen peroxide for histone demethylases). Transferases may generally be screened by measuring the conversion of the cosubstrate or quantitatin the formation of the... 

The equilibrium of reversible histone lysine acetylation is maintained by histone deacetylases (H D ACs) on one hand and histone acetyltransferases on the other hand. Human histone deacetylases can be separated into four classes [15]. HDACs of class I, II and IV are zinc-dependent amidohydrolases, whereas class III HDACs, also referred to as sirtuins, have a mechanism that is dependent on NAD [16]. As histone deacetylases have been widely studied, it is not surprising that there are also a large number of assays existing that have helped to characterize modulators of these enzymes and subsequently the enzymes themselves. 

As the investigation of the interactions between H DAC inhibitors and the enzymes are an important issue, competition assay systems are helpful implements in facilitating the characterization of inhibitor binding. Such a competition binding assay that has been developed for histone deacetylases is based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between tryptophan residues of the histone deacetylase and a fluorescent HDAC inhibitor [38]. In competition with other... 

Suzuki, T., Nagano, Y, Kouketsu, A., Matsuura, A., Maruyama, S., Kurotaki, M. et al. (2005) Novel Inhibitors of human histone deacetylases design, synthesis, enzyme inhibition, and cancer cell growth inhibition of SAHA-based non-hydroxamates. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 48, 1019—1032. 

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