Chemical tools in chromatin research

Abstract

Eukaryotes organize their DNA in the form of chromatin. This complex of DNA and packaging proteins, the histones, ensures that all genomic information fits into the limited space of the cell nucleus. In addition to compacting DNA, chromatin itself regulates the activity of encoded genes. This regulatory process involves many posttranslational modifications of histone proteins and deciphering the complex crosstalk between histone modifications and gene activity represents a central challenge for biomedical science. This task has often been supported by sophisticated chemical tools, which were crucial for many important discoveries in this field. This review provides an overview of chemical tools for chromatin research, with emphasis on classical and current examples of their applications.