Enzymes involved in the dynamic equilibrium of core histone acetylation ofPhysarum polycephalum

DEAE-Scpharose chromatography of extracts from plasmodia of the myxomyccte PI~.~suru~~t ,~/.~crpl~~ho~~ revealed the presence of multiple histone acetyltransferases and histonc deacctylascs. A cyloplasmic histonc acctyltransferase B, specific for histonc H4, and two nuclear acetyltransferases Al and A2 were identilied; Al acetylates all core hislones with a preference for l-13 and H2A. whereas A2 is specific for H3 and also slightly for H2B. Two hislone deacetylases. HDI and HD2, could be discriminated. They differ with respect to subslralc speciliciiy and pH dependence. For the first time the substrate specificity of histonc deacetylascs was determined using HPLC-purilicd individual core h…