# Mechanistic Studies and Engineering of Histone PTM Reader Proteins

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · 2022 · $58,460

## Abstract

Abstract.
The integral roles of histone post-translational modifications (PTMs), including lysine methylation and acylation,
in chromatin remodeling is well established, but new roles of histone PTMs in diseases, including many types
of cancer, are continually discovered. This rapidly evolving field necessitates the development of new
molecular approaches to probe the biological impacts of these PTMs. Herein we focus on the reader proteins
for lysine methylation (Kme) and crotonylation (Kcr), as reader proteins are responsible for sensing the PTM
and triggering the biological outcome, and both Kme and Kcr have biomedical relevance. Aims 1 and 2 make
use of global analysis strategies to determine distinct molecular recognition features across Kme and Kcr
reader proteins, respectively, that will advance the ability to develop selective inhibitors and molecular probes
for these two classes of proteins. Aims 3 and 4 will exploit the inherent selectivity of reader proteins to develop
engineered Kme and Kcr reader proteins (eReaders and eWriters) for sensing, labeling, and introduction of
dual PTMs in a site selective manner. This combined effort will advance the field by providing new insight and
new tools to study the biological pathways that depend on these PTMs and their role in disease.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10581037
- **Project number:** 3R01GM118499-05S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL
- **Principal Investigator:** MARCEY L WATERS
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $58,460
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2017-09-01 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10581037

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10581037, Mechanistic Studies and Engineering of Histone PTM Reader Proteins (3R01GM118499-05S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10581037. Licensed CC0.

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