Structure of histone deacetylases: insights into substrate recognition and catalysis.

Histone deacetylases catalyze the removal of the acetyl moiety from acetyl-lysine within histones to promote gene repression and silencing. These enzymes fall into distinct families based on primary sequence homology and functional properties in vivo. Recent structural studies of histone deacetylases and their homologs from bacteria have provided important insights into the mode of substrate recognition and catalysis by these enzymes.