Invitrogen™ Histone Demethylase Fluorescent Activity Kit

Description

The Histone Demethylase Activity research-use-only kit is a fluorescent activity assay designed for the quantification and detection of histone demethylase activity of lysine-specific histone demethylase 1 (LSD1)-and Jumonji-type demethylases.

This kit includes black 96-well plate(s), LSD1/JMJD2A assay buffers, formaldehyde standard, and other components to perform the assay. This kit does not contain demethylase enzyme samples. A source of LSD1-type or Jumonji-type demethylase, along with any cofactors, enzyme substrates, inhibitors, and/or activators need to be supplied by the user. A fluorescence 96-well microplate reader capable of reading fluorescent emission at 510 nm, with excitation at 450 nm, is required for use of this kit.

Performance characteristics
• Assay type: fluorescent activity kit
• Sample types: lysine-specific histone demethylase 1 (LSD1) and Jumonji-type demethylases
• Standard curve range: 0.128–0.64 μM for LSD1, 2.5–10 μM for JMJD2A
• Reactivity: human

Background
Histone Demethylase (HDM) catalyzes the site-specific demethylation of methyl-lysine residues in histones to dynamically regulate chromatin structure, gene expression, and potentially other genomic functions. Lysine-specific HDMs were first discovered in 2004 and are currently among the most actively studied formaldehyde-producing enzymes. At present, there are two known classes of HDMs: the flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD)-dependent Lysine Specific Demethylase 1 (LSD1) family and the Fe(II)-dependent Jumonji C (JmjC) family. Although the LSD1 and JmjC HDMs employ different cofactors and catalytic mechanisms, both produce formaldehyde as a byproduct of the demethylation reaction.

Despite their biological importance, HDMs have proven difficult to quantitatively assay owing to their relatively low turnover numbers, hindering understanding of their kinetic properties, substrate specificities, and reaction mechanisms. This assay has been validated for lysine-specific histone demethylase 1 (LSD1)-and Jumonji-type demethylases. For HDM samples in cell lysates, we include a specially formulated Cell Lysis Buffer, that has been shown not to interfere with formaldehyde detection. Cell lysis buffers containing SDS and Triton X-100 inhibit the formaldehyde signal reaction and should not be used.

Assay principle
The Histone Demethylase Activity kit is to quantitatively measure the enzymatic activity of formaldehyde-producing enzymes such as histone demethylases. The kit is unique in that the product of these enzymatic demethylation reactions, formaldehyde, is quantitated directly by a fluorescent product. No separation or washing is required. The kit has been validated for both LSD1 and JMJD2A histone demethylases (HDMs).

The kit provides optimized buffers for the HDMs LSD1 and JMJD2A, a stable formaldehyde standard, the Formaldehyde Detection Reagent (FDR), and two 96-well plates for detecting the generated fluorescent signal. The kit allows any enzymatic reaction generating formaldehyde to be measured. The end user will have to provide the demethylase system and any cofactors necessary for activity, along with any test inhibitors or activators. The kit allows end users to produce HDM activity in many in vivo and in vitro systems and then determine the activity by measuring formaldehyde generation. For in vitro studies, the HDM reaction should be carried out in our supplied buffers using optimized reaction conditions for the demethylation.

Following the formaldehyde generating reaction, the reaction can be stopped by addition of a suitable inhibitor. The FDR is then added to all the wells. If calibration to formaldehyde is needed (for cross lab comparisons) then a formaldehyde standard curve generated from the supplied standard should be run. After a short incubation at 37°C for 30 minutes, the fluorescent product is read at 510 nm in a fluorescent plate reader with excitation at 450 nm.