Sim3 shares some common roles with the histone chaperone Asf1 in fission yeast

► Sim3, a CenH3 histone chaperone, can replace the function of Asf1, a H3 histone chaperone, in fission yeast. ► Overexpression of Sim3 suppressed the temperature sensitive phenotype of asf1-33 and asf1-30 mutants. ► Sim3 suppressed the defect in chromatin structure, and prevented the accumulation of DNA damage in asf1-33. ► Δsim3 and asf1-33 is synthetic lethal. ► Sim3 may play a role as H3 histone chaperone in addition to its role as a CenH3 histone chaperone.