Imagine you have an individual with a nonfunctional version

Imagine you have an individual with a nonfunctional version of the histone acetyltransferase gene. What effect will this have on the structure of that individual’s chromatin and the expression of his/her genes? What will the course of this person’s development be like?

Solution

Answer) Histone Acetyl Transferase (HAT) is an enzyme that transfer an acetyl group from Acetyl CoA to the lysine amino acids present on the histone proteins which result in loosening of DNA from the Histone proteins. Then the transcription factors can bind to these exposed sites and result in higher gene expression. in short, histone acetyl transferase enzyme catalyzes the acetylation of lysine residues on histone proteins and resulting into switching on expression of many genes.

In case, if a person has nonfunctional version of Histone acetyl transferase gene than that person will have condensed DNA wrapped on its chromatin proteins and many of the genes would either not expressed or will have lower expression. histone acetylation plays a major role in early growth and development as there are many developmental genes which requires expression at specific stage of development. in such case, due to no or poor expression of those genes, such individual will have retarded and improper growth and development.