Histone H2A.Z (H2AZ1)

Variant histone H2A which replaces conventional H2A in a subset of nucleosomes. Nucleosomes wrap and compact DNA into chromatin, limiting DNA access to the cellular machineries which require DNA as a template.

Histones thereby play a central role in transcription regulation, DNA repair, DNA replication and chromosomal stability. DNA accessibility is regulated via a complex set of post-translational modifications of histones, also known as histone code, and nucleosome remodeling.