Examining the role of HDACs in DNA double-strand break repair in neurons.

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) modulate chromatin structure by removing acetyl groups from histones. Upon DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), deacetylation of H3K56 and H4K16 by HDACs occurs immediately at break sites, and is crucial for DSB repair. Here we describe two assays that examine defective DSB repair caused by HDAC inhibition in primary cortical neurons: single-cell gel electrophoresis to assay DNA integrity (the comet assay) and western blot analysis for γH2AX, a phosphorylated histone variant associated with DSBs.