Current progress on structural studies of nucleosomes containing histone H3 variants

► The basic repeating unit of chromatin is the nucleosome. ► Histone H3-H4 dimer constitutes the fundamental architecture of the nucleosome. ► H3 variants have diversified in many species and have specific functions. ► H3 variants induce structural alterations in the nucleosome. ► H3 variants may play key roles in the formation and function of chromatin domains.