Histone Deacetylases (HDACs) catalyze the removal of an acetyl group on histone proteins and regulate gene transcription and expression by altering chromatin structure. HDAC activity is important in controlling cell cycle progression and differentiation processes, and excess HDAC activity is potentially associated with malignant transformation. Screening of HDAC inhibitors therefore has profound implications in developing antineoplastic reagents. ScienCell's Colorimetric Histone Deacetylase Activity Assay Kit (HDAC) offers a rapid and sensitive way to determine the HDAC activity in mammalian cells and tissue samples, and to screen potential inhibitor compounds. Briefly, deacetylation of the lysine residue on the substrate by HDACs generates a product which, when incubated with a developer, releases a chromophore that can be measured at an absorbance of 405 nm.
Note: Due to the intrinsic limitation of the detection method, this kit is only suitable for measuring HDAC activity of class I, IIb and IV HDACs, which include HDAC1, HDAC2, HDAC3, HDAC6, HDAC8, HDAC10, and HDAC11.