Histone deacetylase inhibition provides a target for identifying potential antiprotozoal compounds. Histone deacetylase inhibitors are useful as therapeutic agents against protozoal infections.

The present invention provides three-dimensional structural information from the hyperthermophilic bacterium Aquifex aeolicus which is a histone deacetylase-like protein (HDLP). HDLP shares 35.2% amino acid sequence identity with human histone deacetylase (HDAC1). The present invention further provides three-dimensional structural information of HDLP bound by inhibitor molecules. The three-dimensional structural information of the present invention is useful to design, isolate and screen deacety...

Chitin deacetylase, the enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of acetamide groups of N-acetylglucosamine in chitin, was purified to homogeneity from mycelial extracts of the fungus Mucor rouxii. In addition, immunoglobulin specifically reactive with chitin deacetylase has been produced and purified.

The present invention is directed to certain hydroxamate derivatives that are inhibitors of histone deacetylase and are therefore useful in the treatment of diseases associated with histone deacetylase activity. Pharmaceutical compositions and processes for preparing these compounds are also disclosed.

The present invention provides methods for identifying agents that modulate a level or an activity of tubulin deacetylase polypeptide, as well as agents identified by the methods. The invention further provides methods of modulating tubulin deacetylase activity in a cell. The invention further provides methods of modulating cellular proliferation by modulating the activity of tubulin deacetylase.

The present invention provides nucleic acid molecules that encode histone deacetylase, as well as recombinant vectors and host cells that include the subject nucleic acid molecules. Also provided are histone deacetylase polypeptide compositions. The histone deacteylase nucleic acid molecules are useful in a variety of diagnostic and therapeutic applications, which are also provided.

The present invention provides for methods of treating and preventing cardiac hypertrophy. Class II HDACs, which are known to participate in regulation of chromatin structure and gene expression, have been shown to have beneficial effects on cardiac hypertrophy. Surprisingly, the present invention demonstrates that HDAC inhibitors inhibit cardiac hypertrophy by inhibiting fetal cardiac gene expression and interfering with sarcomeric organization.

A process for producing N-acetylglucosamine-6-phosphate deacetylase comprising incubating a microorganism which belongs to the marine psychrotrophic bacterium Vibrio sp. and recovering the N-acetylglucosamine-6-phosphate deacetylase from the culture thus obtained; N-acetylglucosamine-6-phosphate deacetylase; and a bacterium belonging to the marine psychrotrophic bacterium Vibrio sp.

A process for producing N-acetyl-D-glucosamine deacetylase which comprises incubating a microorganism belonging to the genus Alteromonas and recovering N-acetyl-D-glucosamine deacetylase from the culture thus obtained.

The present invention provides for methods of treating and preventing cardiac hypertrophy. Class II HDACs, which are known to participate in regulation of chromatin structure and gene expression, have been shown to have beneficial effects on cardiac hypertrophy. Surprisingly, the present invention demonstrates that HDAC inhibitors inhibit cardiac hypertrophy by inhibiting fetal cardiac gene expression and interfering with sarcomeric organization.