Histones, histone chaperones and nucleosome assembly
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Updated: Jun 5, 2026

In Vitro Characterization of Histone Chaperones using Analytical, Pull-Down and Chaperoning Assays
Published on: December 29, 2021
Rebecca J Burgess1, Zhiguo Zhang
1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
Abstract:
Chromatin structure governs a number of cellular processes including DNA replication, transcription, and DNA repair. During DNA replication, chromatin structure including the basic repeating unit of chromatin, the nucleosome, is temporarily disrupted, and then reformed immediately after the passage of the replication fork. This coordinated process of nucleosome assembly during DNA replication is termed replication-coupled nucleosome assembly. Disruption of this process can lead to genome instability, a hallmark of cancer cells. Therefore, addressing how replication-coupled nucleosome assembly is regulated has been of great interest. Here, we review the current status of this growing field of interest, highlighting recent advances in understanding the regulation of this important process by the dynamic interplay of histone chaperones and histone modifications.
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