Histone post-translational modifications (PTMs) are key determinants of the local chromatin landscape and critical for regulation of eukaryotic gene expression. These histone marks are deposited by a vast number of chromatin modifying enzymes and preferentially recognized by specific associated histone reader domains. Recognition of histone PTMs by histone reader domains is important for either targeting these complexes to chromatin or regulating their enzymatic activity once there. The Polycomb repressive complex 1 and 2 (PRC1 and PRC2) are two such chromatin modifying complexes that are critical for developmental gene repression. The enzymatic activity of PRC2 is tightly regulated by many histone reader domains whereas the PRC1 complex is targeted to chromatin through these domains. In this thesis, I explore how PRC1 and PRC2 functions are regulated by histone reader domains. I identify a previously unrecognized histone reader domain within the PRC2 complex, the EZH2 SANT1 domain, which has important implications for regulating PRC2 enzymatic activity. In addition, I explore the mechanism through which the CBX8 chromodomain targets the PRC1 complex to chromatin. Together, these studies provide significant insight into the regulation of chromatin modifying complexes by histone reader domains and how this occurs via multiple mechanisms.