Anti-macroH2A.1

Histones are basic nuclear proteins that are responsible for the nucleosome structure of the chromosomal fiber in eukaryotes. Nucleosomes consist of approximately 146 bp of DNA wrapped around a histone octamer composed of pairs of each of the four core histones (H2A, H2B, H3, and H4). The chromatin fiber is further compacted through the interaction of a linker histone, H1, with the DNA between the nucleosomes to form higher order chromatin structures. This gene encodes a replication-independent histone that is a member of the histone H2A family. It replaces conventional H2A histones in a subset of nucleosomes where it represses transcription and participates in stable X chromosome inactivation. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants encoding different isoforms. Protein function: Variant histone H2A which replaces conventional H2A in a subset of nucleosomes where it represses transcription (PubMed:12718888, PubMed:15621527, PubMed:16428466). Nucleosomes wrap and compact DNA into chromatin, limiting DNA accessibility to the cellular machineries which require DNA as a template (PubMed:15897469). Histones thereby play a central role in transcription regulation, DNA repair, DNA replication and chromosomal stability (PubMed:15897469). DNA accessibility is regulated via a complex set of post-translational modifications of histones, also called histone code, and nucleosome remodeling. Involved in stable X chromosome inactivation (PubMed:15897469). Inhibits the binding of transcription factors, including NF-kappa-B, and interferes with the activity of remodeling SWI/SNF complexes (PubMed:12718888, PubMed:16428466). Inhibits histone acetylation by EP300 and recruits class I HDACs, which induces a hypoacetylated state of chromatin (PubMed:16428466, PubMed:16107708). [The UniProt Consortium]