组蛋白是构成真核生物染色体纤维核小体结构的基本核蛋白四个核心组蛋白（H2A、H2B、H3和H4）中的每一个分子形成一个八聚体，其中大约146 bp的DNA被包裹在被称为核小体的重复单元中。连接组蛋白H1在核小体之间与连接DNA相互作用，在染色质压缩成高阶结构中发挥作用与大多数组蛋白基因不同，该基因包含内含子，其mrna是聚腺苷化的。编码的蛋白质是组蛋白H3家族的一个独立于复制的成员[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]