Histone Acetylation

Histone acetylation and histone deacetylation involve the addition or removal of an acetyl group on lysine residues in the N-terminal tail and on the surface of the nucelosome core of histone proteins. Acetylated and deacetylated histones are considered epigenetic tags within chromatin by relaxing (euchromatin) or tightening (heterochromatin) chromatin structure, subsequently increasing or decreasing gene transcription levels.