The 2-hydroxyisobutyryl-HIST1H3A (K4) antibody specifically recognizes the 2-hydroxyisobutyryl modification on lysine 4 of the HIST1H3A protein, a replication-dependent histone H3 variant. This modification is a recently characterized post-translational modification (PTM) associated with transcriptional regulation and chromatin dynamics .
2-hydroxyisobutyrylation is distinct from more studied PTMs like acetylation or methylation. It shares structural similarities with β-hydroxybutyrylation, a mark linked to metabolic states such as fasting or diabetic ketoacidosis .
Gene Regulation: Similar modifications (e.g., β-hydroxybutyrylation at H3K9 or H4K8) are enriched at active promoters, suggesting a role in transcriptional activation .
Disease Associations: Metabolic stress-induced PTMs may influence chromatin states in pathologies like cancer or metabolic disorders, though direct evidence for 2-hydroxyisobutyryl-K4 is lacking .
ChIP-seq: Used to map histone marks genome-wide, though antibody specificity remains a concern .
Western Blot/ICC: Detects global or subcellular localization of the modification .
Specificity Issues: Studies highlight that >50% of commercial histone antibodies exhibit off-target binding, emphasizing the need for rigorous validation (e.g., peptide array or internally calibrated ChIP) .
Quantitative Limitations: Unlike trimethylation (H3K4me3), 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation lacks established quantitative benchmarks .
Mechanistic Studies: Define the enzymes responsible for adding/removing 2-hydroxyisobutyryl groups.
Disease Models: Investigate its role in metabolic or neurodegenerative diseases using knockout models or chemical inhibitors.
Lysine 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation (Khib) is a relatively recently identified post-translational modification (PTM) that affects the association between histone and DNA. Unlike lysine acetylation, 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation is structurally and mechanistically distinct, showing quantitative responses to changes in glycolytic flux . Comprehensive analyses have identified 63 histone 2-hydroxyisobutyrylated lysine sites in human and mouse cells, with 27 of these sites being exclusive to 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation compared to acetylation and crotonylation . The stoichiometries of certain histone 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation marks (H3K79, H2BK108, H4K91, and H1K62) in synchronized G2/M HeLa cells are comparable to or even higher than those of many histone acetylation marks with known biological functions .
Multiple lysine residues on HIST1H3A have been identified as targets for 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation. While the search results specifically mention a commercially available antibody for 2-hydroxyisobutyryl-HIST1H3A (K36) , comprehensive studies have identified several conserved 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation sites on histone H3 across plants, humans, and mice, including H3K56, H3K79, and H3K122 . Sequence alignment analysis has further confirmed that many of these modification sites are highly conserved across species, suggesting evolutionary importance of this PTM .
Histone 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation represents a critical link between metabolism and epigenetic regulation. β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) functions as a substrate for histone lysine β-hydroxybutyrylation (Kbhb), which then activates gene expression independent of acetylation . Research has demonstrated that histone Kbhb marks are dramatically induced in response to elevated BHB levels in cultured cells and in livers of mice subjected to prolonged fasting or streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic ketoacidosis . Cellular experiments have confirmed that histone Kbhb levels are elevated in a BHB dose-dependent manner, establishing a direct connection between metabolic state and histone modification patterns .
Based on product information, 2-hydroxyisobutyryl-HIST1H3A antibodies are primarily recommended for ELISA and immunofluorescence (IF) applications . For immunofluorescence, the recommended dilution range is 1:50-1:200 . These antibodies are typically polyclonal, produced in rabbit hosts, and recognize the peptide sequence around the site of 2-hydroxyisobutyryl-Lys (36) derived from Human Histone H3 . While these represent the primary validated applications, researchers may need to optimize conditions for other experimental contexts.
For rigorous experimental design, the following controls should be considered:
Control Type | Purpose | Implementation |
---|---|---|
Positive Control | Verify antibody functionality | Samples with known 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation (e.g., cells treated with BHB) |
Negative Control | Assess background signal | Samples with depleted 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation (e.g., treated with HDAC1-3) |
Peptide Competition | Confirm antibody specificity | Pre-incubation of antibody with 2-hydroxyisobutyryl-modified peptides |
Cross-Reactivity Check | Determine modification specificity | Comparison with other histone modifications (acetylation, succinylation) |
These controls help distinguish true biological signals from technical artifacts and ensure experimental reproducibility.
Proper storage and handling are critical for maintaining antibody functionality. According to product information, 2-hydroxyisobutyryl-HIST1H3A antibodies should be stored at -20°C or -80°C upon receipt . Repeated freeze-thaw cycles should be avoided as they can compromise antibody integrity . The antibodies are typically provided in liquid form with a buffer containing preservatives (0.03% Proclin 300) and constituents (50% Glycerol, 0.01M PBS, pH 7.4) . When working with these antibodies, researchers should follow standard antibody handling protocols, including minimizing exposure to room temperature.
The dynamic regulation of 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation involves specific enzymes that add (writers) or remove (erasers) this modification:
Writers:
The acyltransferase p300 acts as a histone Kbhb "writer," catalyzing the addition of BHB to lysine residues
Histone acetyltransferase Esa1p in budding yeast and its homologue TIP60 in humans can trigger K hib reactions both in vitro and in vivo
Erasers:
Histone deacetylases HDAC1-3, SIRT1, and SIRT2 have demonstrated significant de-β-hydroxybutyrylation activity against core histones in vitro through high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis
In cellular contexts, studies have shown that primarily HDAC1 and HDAC2 function as histone Kbhb deacetylases
In yeast models, Rpd3p and Hos3p have been identified as potential regulatory enzymes for lysine de-2-hydroxyisobutyrylation reactions
Research indicates that the level of histone Kbhb at sites including H3K9, H3K18, H3K27, and H4K8 decreases in response to p300 knockdown, with some of these sites showing greater sensitivity to p300 knockdown than corresponding Kac sites .
Histone 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation exists within a complex landscape of post-translational modifications. Comprehensive comparative analyses of modification patterns reveal both unique and overlapping features:
While many PTMs occupy distinct lysine residues, suggesting unique functions, some sites can accommodate multiple modifications
Comparative analysis of rice acetylome, succinylome, and 2-hydroxyisobutyrylome found that 99 2-hydroxyisobutyrylated sites could be modified by any of the three PTMs, while 8,924 sites were unique to K hib
The preference of different chiral Kbhb for deacetylases suggests structural specificity in the recognition and processing of these modifications
These patterns of overlap and exclusivity likely contribute to a histone code that finely regulates chromatin structure and gene expression in response to cellular conditions.
The genomic distribution of histone 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation provides insights into its functional roles. Research has revealed that:
The H3K9bhb mark localizes in gene promoters and is significantly elevated in mouse liver during starvation
Pathways associated with genes marked by elevated H3K9bhb include amino acid catabolism, circadian rhythms, redox balance, PPAR signaling pathways, and oxidative phosphorylation
Unlike some other histone modifications, K hib has shown dramatic changes in genomic distribution during male germ cell differentiation
These distribution patterns suggest that 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation plays important roles in metabolic adaptation, developmental processes, and tissue-specific gene regulation.
Mass spectrometry represents a powerful approach for identifying and characterizing 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation:
Antibody-based affinity enrichment coupled with nano-HPLC/MS/MS analyses has successfully identified thousands of 2-hydroxyisobutyryl lysine sites across various proteomes
Affinity-directed HPLC/MS/MS analysis specifically on histones has identified 63 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation sites from HeLa cells and mouse testis cells
These approaches can be complemented with functional annotation analyses to connect modification patterns with biological processes
When designing mass spectrometry experiments, researchers should consider enrichment strategies, digestion protocols, and data analysis pipelines optimized for detecting and quantifying 2-hydroxyisobutyrylated peptides.
Distinguishing between various histone modifications represents a significant challenge. Several approaches can help address this challenge:
Site-specific incorporation of ε-N-2-Hydroxyisobutyryl-lysine into bacterial and mammalian cells using amber suppression-mediated strategies provides a controlled system for studying specific modifications
Sequence motif analysis has revealed that negative charged amino acids, D and E, are strongly preferred around 2-hydroxyisobutyrylated sites, providing a distinctive signature
Structural feature analysis shows that 2-hydroxyisobutyryllysine is less surface accessible than unmodified lysine and has a greater propensity to be found in regions of intrinsic disorder and coils
These distinctive features can be leveraged to develop more specific detection methods and to interpret experimental results more accurately.
To elucidate the functional roles of 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation, researchers should consider multi-faceted experimental approaches:
Metabolic manipulation studies: Altering BHB levels through fasting protocols or direct supplementation can reveal how metabolic states influence 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation patterns and subsequent gene expression
Enzyme modulation experiments: Manipulating the activity or expression of writers (p300, TIP60) and erasers (HDAC1-3) can help establish causality between 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation and biological outcomes
Comparative multi-omics approaches: Integrating proteomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics data can provide comprehensive insights into how 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation coordinates cellular responses
Site-specific mutagenesis: Converting key lysine residues to non-modifiable amino acids can directly test the functional significance of specific 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation sites
By combining these approaches, researchers can develop a more complete understanding of how 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation contributes to cellular physiology and disease states.