CHAPTER 2: Macrocycles for Recognition and Sensing of Histone Modifications

This chapter covers the use of synthetic macrocyclic receptors for the molecular recognition and sensing of modified histone peptides. Different receptors, such as calixarenes, cyclophanes, and deep cavitands can bind specific types of post-translational modifications (PTMs) such as trimethyllysine or dimethylarginine. Selective sensing of such modifications can be achieved by coupling the recognition event to an optical response. This strategy can be extended further to site-selective monitoring of peptide modifications (differential sensing), and to supramolecular tandem assays of PTM writer/eraser enzyme functions.