Nucleosomes are composed of four different histone proteins, designated H2A, H2B, H3, and H4. In humans, five variants of histone H3 are reported: H3.1, H3.2, H3.3, H3t, and CENP-A. The two major Histone H3 variants (H3.1 and H3.3) display distinct genomic localization patterns in eukaryotes. Deposition of Histone H3.1 is associated with DNA synthesis during DNA replication and possibly DNA repair, while Histone H3.3 is incorporated independently of DNA synthesis and is the predominant form of H3 found in non-dividing cells.

Recently, it was shown that a genomic gene cluster regulating skeletal myogenesis is marked by H3.3 protein prior to cellular muscle formation and that H3.3 marking of this region enables myogenic gene activation (Ref. 2). These results suggest that monitoring H3.3 marking at specific loci may be useful in the prediction of cell fate. Hence, this new Histone H3.3 variant monoclonal antibody is expected to be useful in the field of regenerative medicine.

References:
1) Hake SB et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA (2006) 103 (17):6428-35. PMID: 16571659
2) Harada et al., EMBOJ (2012) 31(13):2994-3007. PMID:225

Nucleosomes are composed of four different histone proteins, designated H2A, H2B, H3, and H4. In humans, five variants of histone H3 are reported: H3.1, H3.2, H3.3, H3t, and CENP-A. The two major Histone H3 variants (H3.1 and H3.3) display distinct genomic localization patterns in eukaryotes. Deposition of Histone H3.1 is associated with DNA synthesis during DNA replication and possibly DNA repair, while Histone H3.3 is incorporated independently of DNA synthesis and is the predominant form of H3 found in non-dividing cells.

Recently, it was shown that a genomic gene cluster regulating skeletal myogenesis is marked by H3.3 protein prior to cellular muscle formation and that H3.3 marking of this region enables myogenic gene activation (Ref. 2). These results suggest that monitoring H3.3 marking at specific loci may be useful in the prediction of cell fate. Hence, this new Histone H3.3 variant monoclonal antibody is expected to be useful in the field of regenerative medicine.

References:
1) Hake SB et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA (2006) 103 (17):6428-35. PMID: 16571659
2) Harada et al., EMBOJ (2012) 31(13):2994-3007. PMID:225