answersLogoWhite

0

What are histones and what do they do?

Updated: 8/10/2023
User Avatar

Wiki User

9y ago

Best Answer

Histones are highly alkaline proteins that are found in eukaryotic cell nuclei that package and order the DNA into structural units called nucleosomes. These specific proteins are involved in cell division and cancer.

User Avatar

Wiki User

9y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar
More answers
User Avatar

Wiki User

11y ago

In mature cells, most DNA mustn't be transcribed - for exapmle, producing a digesting enzyme in neuron cells would be fatal. Thus, the DNA should be strapped together as firmly as possible, so that no polymerase or other machinery for DNA-transcription gets access to that part of DNA. But DNA itself is negatively charged (because of its phosphat backbone) and will repel from any other part of DNA that gets near it.

The solution to that are the histones. They consist of many positively charged amnioacids. So the DNA will not only be eager to bind to these proteins, but further, you can roll a piece of DNA next to another part of DNA, preventig them from pushing away from one another.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

11y ago

DNA packaging, chromosome stabilization and gene expression.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

13y ago

NO ONE KNOWS. but my Biology teacher knows. Ask Mrs. Brittany Merkerl :)

This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: What are histones and what do they do?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Related questions

Chromatin contains proteins called?

Histones are the main proteins in chromatin, histones are a group of five small basic proteins in the nucleus.


What is the name for strands of DNA wound around proteins?

chromosomes. The DNA is genes that are tightly wrapped around proteins. The proteins are histones.


What protein does DNA wrap around?

Histones are the major proteins involved in coiling DNA.


To help with biology homework what are histones?

Histones are proteins found in eukaryotic cell nuclei. They are high in alkaline. Histones package and order the DNA into units that are called nucleosomes.


What role do histones play in a cell?

DNA strands are wrapped around the histones. In order for DNA to be accessible, histones must be modified (acetylation). If the histones are "protected" at a particular locus from modification, the genes are silenced and cannot be expressed.


What is a non histones protein?

Non-histones protein are classified as the proteins that are left after the histones have been removed in chromatin. DNA polymerase and scaffold proteins are non-histone proteins.


Does histones and DNA molecules relate to each other?

Histones are a part of DNA. Histones are actually 8 molecule of proteins joined together and the DNA strand wraps around the the histone in a circular manner. Histones are present on the DNA strand at regular intervals.


Term for the group of proteins that organizes and condenses long strands of DNA into light coils?

HISTONES


When does DNA begins to condense with help of structural proteins like histones?

as soon as histones are put in solution with DNA it begins to condense. Just by being there the positively charged histones are attracted to the negatively charged DNA. DNA wraps around histones and other structural proteins condensing to metaphase chromosomes.


What is made of DNA and histones?

chromosomes


What foods are rich in histones?

Asparagus


Histones are found in?

the nucleosome