InterPro domain: IPR001951

Histone H4 is one of the five histones, along with H1/H5, H2A, H2B and H3. Two copies of each of the H2A, H2B, H3, and H4 histones ensemble to form the core of the nucleosome [ 1 ]. The nucleosome forms octameric structure that wraps DNA in a left-handed manner. H3 is a highly conserved protein of 135 amino acid residues [ 2 , 3 ]. Histones can undergo several different types of post-translational modifications that affect transcription, DNA repair, DNA replication and chromosomal stability. The sequence of histone H4 has remained almost invariant in more then 2 billion years of evolution [ 4 , 4 , 5 ].

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4. Acetylation of histones in nucleosomes. Mol. Cell. Biochem. 44, 113-28
5. A highly basic histone H4 domain bound to the sharply bent region of nucleosomal DNA. Nature 331, 365-7