Identification of inhibitors of chromatin modifying enzymes using the yeast phenotypic screens.

Publication Type:

Journal Article

Authors:

Newcomb, Benjamin; Bedalov, Antonio

Source:

Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.), Volume 548, p.145-60 (2009)

Keywords:

2009, chromatin, Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly, Clinical Research Division, Culture Media, DNA, Fungal, DNA, Ribosomal, Drug Evaluation, Preclinical, Epigenesis, Genetic, Gene Silencing, Genes, Mating Type, Fungal, Histones, PHENOTYPE, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Telomere

Abstract:

A multitude of enzymes that modify histones and remodel nucleosomes are required for the formation, maintenance, and propagation of the transcriptionally repressed chromatin state in eukaryotes. Robust phenotypic screens in yeast S. cerevisiae have proved instrumental in identifying these activities and for providing mechanistic insights into epigenetic regulation. These phenotypic assays, amenable for high throughput small molecule screening, enable identification and characterization of inhibitors of chromatin modifying enzymes largely bypassing traditional biochemical approaches.