Fluorescence polarization assays for acetyltransferase/deacetylase activity

A method for determining the activity of a deacetylase comprising: contacting a set of peptide substrates with a deacetylase, wherein the members of said set of peptide substrates comprising a fluorophore and at least one acetylated lysine residue; contacting the set of peptide substrates with a reagent that cleaves peptide set members substrates having non-acetylated lysine residues; and determining the value of fluorescence polarization peptide substrates assembly; in which a reduced value of fluorescence polarization peptide substrates assembly deacetylase activity is indicative.