LINKER HISTONES VERSUS HMG1 2 - A STRUGGLE FOR DOMINANCE/

The linker histones (H1, H1 degrees, H5, etc.) and a group of abundant non-histone chromosomal proteins (HMG1/2) bind to linker DNA in chrom atin and exhibit both generalized and specific effects on gene transcr iption. The two classes of proteins share many features of DNA binding behaviour, although they are structurally unrelated. While the linker histones and HMG1/2 exhibit direct competition in binding to such str uctures as four-way junction DNA, whether they compete for binding to the nucleosome has not been investigated. The possibility for either o pposite or synergistic effects on gene regulation must be considered a t this point. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.