An SDS-PAGE-Based Enzyme Activity Assay for the Detection and Identification of Histone Acetyltransferases

Posttranslational acetylation of the core histone amino-terminal tails correlates with both chromatin assembly and gene expression. This energy-intensive and reversible process is mediated by the opposing activities of histone acetyltransferase (HAT) and deacetylase (HD) enzyme systems, both of which have only recently begun to be characterized at the molecular level (1 ,2 ).