Formaldehyde Crosslinking: a Tool for the Study of Chromatin Complexes

Overview

Journal J Biol Chem

Specialty Biochemistry

Date 2015 Sep 11

PMID 26354429

Citations 169

Authors

Elizabeth A Hoffman

Brian L Frey

Lloyd M Smith

David T Auble

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Formaldehyde has been used for decades to probe macromolecular structure and function and to trap complexes, cells, and tissues for further analysis. Formaldehyde crosslinking is routinely employed for detection and quantification of protein-DNA interactions, interactions between chromatin proteins, and interactions between distal segments of the chromatin fiber. Despite widespread use and a rich biochemical literature, important aspects of formaldehyde behavior in cells have not been well described. Here, we highlight features of formaldehyde chemistry relevant to its use in analyses of chromatin complexes, focusing on how its properties may influence studies of chromatin structure and function.

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