Histones are proteins abundant in lysine and arginine that packaged DNA into nucleosomes. These nucleosomes are the basis of tightly formed chromatin. Histones protect DNA from becoming damaged and getting tangled, and they play a critical role in gene regulation and in DNA replication. Of the five known histones, histone 2A (H2A), histone (H2B), and histone (H4) are considered core particles. In epigenetics, modifications to histones play a key role in controlling chromatin structure and gene transcription. 

The pathway below is interactive, meaning you can click on an active pathway component (highlighted in orange) to learn more about available mouse models relevant to that specific gene and pathway function.