Infographic: A Yeast Model for Studying Histone Modifications

The methodology involves modifying histones and displaying them on the cell surface for analysis.

Written byAmanda Heidt

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To develop a new platform for studying histone modifications, North Carolina State University synthetic biologist Alison Waldman and colleagues created a speedy and cost-effective platform using baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). Waldman inserted a plasmid that encoded a histone and an enzyme suspected of modifying it into the nucleus of a yeast cell. The plasmid also contained a bidirectional promoter capable of synthesizing both the histone and the enzyme simultaneously (1). Thanks to genetic tags transcribed with the mRNAs, both proteins migrate to the cell’s endoplasmic reticulum (ER), where the enzyme modifies the histone at specific residues (2). Then, thanks to a unique quality of the yeast known as surface display, the modified histone is presented on the cell’s exterior (3), where researchers can apply antibodies that label acetylation at specific residues to reveal where the enzyme modified the histone (4).

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Correction (September 17): A former version ...

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Online only cover of the The Scientist, September 2021 issue

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Meet the Author

Amanda Heidt
Amanda first began dabbling in scicom as a master’s student studying marine science at Moss Landing Marine Labs, where she edited the student blog and interned at a local NPR station. She enjoyed that process of demystifying science so much that after receiving her degree in 2019, she went straight into a second master’s program in science communication at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Formerly an intern at The Scientist, Amanda joined the team as a staff reporter and editor in 2021 and oversaw the publication’s internship program, assigned and edited the Foundations, Scientist to Watch, and Short Lit columns, and contributed original reporting across the publication. Amanda’s stories often focus on issues of equity and representation in academia, and she brings this same commitment to DEI to the Science Writers Association of the Rocky Mountains and to the board of the National Association of Science Writers, which she has served on since 2022. She is currently based in the outdoor playground that is Moab, Utah. Read more of her work at www.amandaheidt.com.
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