Histone Acetyltransferase

Histone acetyltransferases (HATs) are epigenetic enzymes that install acetyl groups onto lysine residues of cellular proteins such as histones, transcription factors, nuclear receptors, and enzymes. HATs are crucial for chromatin restructuring and transcriptional regulation in eukaryotic cells. HATs have been shown to play a role in diseases ranging from cancer and inflammatory diseases to neurological disorders, both through acetylations of histone proteins and non-histone proteins.

HATs can be grouped into at least five different subfamilies (HAT1, Gcn5/PCAF, MYST, p300/CBP, and Rtt109). HATs mediate many different biological processes including cell-cycle progression, dosage compensation, repair of DNA damage, and hormone signaling. Aberrant HAT function is correlated with several human diseases including solid tumors, leukemias, inflammatory lung disease, viral infection, diabetes, fungal infection, and drug addiction.