Variant histone specifically required to direct the transformation of dissociating nucleosomes to protamine in male germ cells. Entirely replaces classical histone H2B prior nucleosome to protamine transition and probably acts as a nucleosome dissociating factor that creates a more dynamic chromatin, facilitating the large-scale exchange of histones. Core component of nucleosome. Nucleosomes wrap and compact DNA into chromatin, limiting DNA accessibility to the cellular machineries which require DNA as a template. Histones thereby play a central role in transcription regulation, DNA repair, DNA replication and chromosomal stability. DNA accessibility is regulated via a complex set of post-translational modifications of histones, also called histone code, and nucleosome remodeling. Also found in fat cells, its function and the presence of post-translational modifications specific to such cells are still unclear.
