Yeast “Mini Labs” Help Researchers Probe Histone Modifications

By harnessing a unique property of yeast, scientists can synthesize histones and the enzymes that modify these proteins, which spool DNA and influence gene expression.

Written byAmanda Heidt

| 3 min read

Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast, 3D illustration. Microscopic fungi, baker's or brewer's yeast, are used as probiotics to restore normal flora of intestine

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ABOVE: Illustration of Saccharomyces cerevisiae
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There are more than 60 documented types of modifications to the histone proteins that form the backbone of DNA, and studying the role of these marks is complicated. For one, the cellular environment dictates which epigenetic marks end up on certain amino acids in the tails of histones—large, boxy proteins around which an organism’s DNA is coiled—so studying histones outside of their native context can alter results. Add to that the fact that scientists don’t often know all the targets of a particular enzyme. Current approaches—using recombinant proteins to create synthetic histones and enzymes for in vitro experiments or trying to isolate and purify natural ones—are expensive and difficult to scale.

To better study histone biology, North Carolina State University synthetic biologist Alison Waldman designed a speedy and cost-effective platform using baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). “Yeast are really small, they grow a ...

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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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