Histone Variant H3.3: A versatile H3 variant in health and in disease

  • Sci China Life Sci. 2016 Mar;59(3):245-56. doi: 10.1007/s11427-016-5006-9.
Chaoyang Xiong  1 ,  Zengqi Wen  1  2 ,  Guohong Li  3
Affiliations
  • 1. National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
  • 2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
  • 3. National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China. [email protected].
PMID: 26825948 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-016-5006-9
Abstract

Histones are the main protein components of eukaryotic chromatin. Histone variants and histone modifications modulate chromatin structure, ensuring the precise operation of cellular processes associated with genomic DNA. H3.3, an ancient and conserved H3 variant, differs from its canonical H3 counterpart by only five Amino acids, yet it plays essential and specific roles in gene transcription, DNA repair and in maintaining genome integrity. Here, we review the most recent insights into the functions of histone H3.3, and the involvement of its mutant forms in human diseases.

Keywords
H3.3; development; histone chaperones; histone variants; tumorigenesis.
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