Why do histones bind to DNA?
Posted January 3, 2024
Answer
Histones are rich in basic amino acids and carry a positive charge. DNA has a negative charge because of the presence of phosphate groups in its phosphate-sugar backbone. Since opposite charges attract, histones bind very tightly to DNA. This helps to organize the DNA into manageable lengths.
Additional resources
DNA methylation pathways and their crosstalk with histone methylation