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Updated: Aug 15, 2026

Expression Analysis of Mammalian Linker-histone Subtypes
Published on: March 19, 2012
A new family of "H3L-like" histone genes
P Mancini1, G Pulcrano, M Piscopo
1Department of Genetics, General and Molecular Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Mezzocannone 8, 80134 Naples, Italy.
Abstract:
The H3L histone variant gene in Paracentrotus lividus (sea urchin) shows almost all typical features of the replication-dependent histone genes, but it codes for the H3.3 histone protein with the S.//. A.IG amino acid motif, which is typical of the variants synthesized in a replication-independent manner. "H3L-like" histone genes have been found in several unrelated organisms. These genes are intronless and encode for the typical H3.3 histone proteins. The newly described family of H3L-like variants, nearly ubiquitous within the animal kingdom, could represent the common ancestor of H3 and H3.3 histone genes.
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