What are the Mechanisms of Enzyme Catalysis in Histone Modifications?
The enzymes responsible for histone modifications employ various catalytic mechanisms. For instance, HATs transfer an acetyl group from acetyl-CoA to lysine residues, a process facilitated by the formation of a ternary complex. HDACs utilize a zinc-dependent deacetylation mechanism. HMTs often use S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) as a methyl group donor in a multi-step process that involves the formation of an enzyme-substrate complex. Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for developing inhibitors that can modulate enzyme activity, which has therapeutic implications.
