Enzo Biochem, Inc. (NYSE:ENZ) today said that its Life Sciences subsidiary will release a new catalog dealing with “Epigenetics & Chromatin Modification” at the Society for Neuroscience’s, Neuroscience 2009 conference, beginning October 17, 2009, in Chicago, Illinois. The catalog provides a portfolio of tools relating to histone- and DNA-modifying enzymes, including enzymes for lysine acetylation/deacetylation (HATs, HDACs and sirtuins), protein methylation/demethylation, DNA methylation and telomerases. Enzo Life Sciences will also introduce new enzyme drug discovery kits for histone deacetylases (HDACs) and lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1), emerging targets for cancer and other diseases.
Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are enzymes that remove acetyl groups from lysines of histones and other non-histone proteins, and figure prominently in chromatin modifications that lead to changes in gene expression. The Fluor de Lys™-Green HDAC assay is a new and improved product for assaying HDAC activity from cell extracts or purified enzymes. The proprietary new fluorescent probe in the kit contains a longer wavelength excitation/emission profile than the standard Fluor de Lys™ substrate, avoiding potential interference from the autofluorescence of cell constituents and small molecule compounds. The convenient, two-step homogeneous procedure for measuring HDAC activity provided by the kit is applicable to high throughput screening of potential HDAC inhibitors.