Formaldehyde Crosslinking: A Tool for the Study of Chromatin Complexes |
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| Authors: | Elizabeth A. Hoffman Brian L. Frey Lloyd M. Smith David T. Auble |
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| Affiliation: | From the ‡Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908 and ;the §Department of Chemistry and Genome Center of Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 |
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| 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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