Histone H1: location and role

Abstract

Recent experiments have shown directly that, in bulk chromatin, the globular domain of histone H1 is positioned close to the dyad axis and is asymmetrically disposed, consistent with a polar arrangement of H1 molecules along the nucleosome filament. In addition to a structural role, H1 may also have gene-specific effects on transcription. The positioning of a core particle relative to a transcription factor binding-site may favour either transcription factor binding or H1 binding, depending on the location of the site.