組蛋白是構成真核生物染色體纖維核小體結構的基本核蛋白四個核心組蛋白（H2A、H2B、H3和H4）中的每一個分子形成一個八聚體，其中大約146 bp的DNA被包裹在被稱為核小體的重復單元中。連接組蛋白H1在核小體之間與連接DNA相互作用，在染色質壓縮成高階結構中發揮作用與大多數組蛋白基因不同，該基因包含內含子，其mrna是聚腺苷化的。編碼的蛋白質是組蛋白H3家族的一個獨立于復制的成員[由RefSeq提供，2008年7月]
Histones are basic nuclear proteins that are responsible for the nucleosome structure of the chromosomal fiber in eukaryotes. Two molecules of each of the four core histones (H2A, H2B, H3, and H4) form an octamer, around which approximately 146 bp of DNA is wrapped in repeating units, called nucleosomes. The linker histone, H1, interacts with linker DNA between nucleosomes and functions in the compaction of chromatin into higher order structures. This gene contains introns and its mRNA is polyadenylated, unlike most histone genes. The protein encoded is a replication-independent member of the histone H3 family. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]