In eukaryotes, genomic DNA is hierarchically packaged into chromatin by histones. A defined organization of the genome into chromatin with specific patterns of epigenetic modifications is crucial for transcriptional regulation, cell fate determination, and maintenance, in which the histone variant incorporation has been characterized as one of the most key players. The diversity of histone variants results in structural plasticity of chromatin and highlights functionally distinct chromosomal domains. Here we focus on the role of histone variant H3.3 and its coregulation with H2A.Z in chromatin dynamics at enhancers and promoters and transcriptional regulation.
Keywords: H2A.Z; H3.3; chromatin dynamics; histone variant; transcriptional regulation.