Histones associated with the genetic material apart from maintaining its also act as
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Modulators
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Apozymes
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Isozymes
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Activators
Histone proteins are rich in basic amino acids and form the core around which the DNA is wound giving rise to nucleosome particles. DNA is wound around histones because basic amino acids are positively charged at physiological pH which facilitates winding of acidic or negatively charged DNA. Neutralization of positive charge, on basic amino acids of histone proteins, by chemical processes like reversible acetylation will lead to neutralization of attractive force between nucleosome core and DNA molecule. This will in turn lead to transcriptional activation (histone proteins are acetylated) and after transcription once again the histone proteins will be deacetylated restoring there positive charge, thus facilitating the tight binding between (negatively charged) DNA and (positively charged) histone core. Apart from reversible acetylation, histone proteins also undergo a number of other chemical modifications. Thus, acting as modulators for DNA metabolism.