Histone modifications represent an innate cellular mechanism to link nutritional status to gene expression. Metabolites such as acetyl-CoA and S-adenosyl methionine influence gene expression by serving as substrates for modification of histones. Yet, we lack a predictive model for determining histone modification levels based on cellular metabolic state. The numerous metabolic pathways that intersect with histone marks makes it highly challenging to understand their interdependencies. Here, we highlight new systems biology tools to unravel the impact of nutritional cues and metabolic fluxes on histone modifications.
Keywords: HDAC inhibitors; HDACs; Metabolism; acetylation; histone modifications; metabolic modeling; methylation; systems biology.