Question

How are histones related to nucleosomes?

Answer 1

Histones:

1. Histones are highly basic proteins found in the nuclei of eukaryotic cells containing a lot of lysine and arginine residues.
2. They serve as spools around which DNA winds to produce structural units known as nucleosomes.
3. Nucleosomes are bundled into 30-nanometer fibers, resulting in tightly packed chromatin.

Relation between Histone and Nucleosomes:

1. A nucleosome is the basic structural unit of DNA wrapping in eukaryotes.
2. Like a thread coiled around a spool, a nucleosome is made up of a stretch of DNA wrapped around eight histone proteins.
3. The nucleosome is chromatin's most fundamental component.
4. Each of the histone proteins H2A, H2B, H3, and H4 has two copies in each histone octamer.
5. So, the histone and nucleosomes are related because the histone plays an important role in the formation of nucleosomes.