• Universitat de València

• José Luis García Jiménez

Histones are the proteins that package DNA and thus regulate gene expression and protect DNA. Different post-translational modifications in histones, chemical modifications produced in specific amino acids of histones, make up the "Histone Code", involved in the control and regulation of different cellular physiological processes. Existing techniques for the analysis of histone carbonylation do not allow the analysis of carbonylation on different histone variants. Therefore, there is a need in the area of clinical diagnostics and research for the development of methods to analyse carbonylation of the different histone variants.

Researchers from the Centre for Biomedical Research Network on Rare Diseases and the Universitat de València have developed a procedure and a kit that allows the identification of carbonyl histone variants in a two-dimensional electrophoretic system, without chemical derivatization affecting their electrophoretic pathway. This procedure therefore allows progress to be made in the study of the regulation of gene expression and DNA protection, as its identification is of interest in physiological processes such as cell proliferation, ageing and pathological situations such as cancer.

The main application of the technology is in the biotechnology sector, as a kit or procedure for the identification of carbonyl histones, which are important in cell physiological processes (e.g. DNA packaging in chromatin, regulation of gene expression, DNA protection, etc.). It is therefore a methodology that can be applied in any area of biology.

The main benefits of the invention are:

• Differentiation in the carbonylation of histone variants.
• Use of common techniques and reagents.

• Patent granted