Harmonizome 3.0

histone cell cycle regulator

This gene encodes a histone chaperone that preferentially places the variant histone H3.3 in nucleosomes. Orthologs of this gene in yeast, flies, and plants are necessary for the formation of transcriptionally silent heterochomatin. This gene plays an important role in the formation of the senescence-associated heterochromatin foci. These foci likely mediate the irreversible cell cycle changes that occur in senescent cells. It is considered the primary candidate gene in some haploinsufficiency syndromes such as DiGeorge syndrome, and insufficient production of the gene may disrupt normal embryonic development. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]

HIRA interacting protein 3

The HIRA protein shares sequence similarity with Hir1p and Hir2p, the two corepressors of histone gene transcription characterized in the yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The structural features of the HIRA protein suggest that it may function as part of a multiprotein complex. Several cDNAs encoding HIRA-interacting proteins, or HIRIPs, have been identified. In vitro, the protein encoded by this gene binds HIRA, as well as H2B and H3 core histones, indicating that a complex containing HIRA-HIRIP3 could function in some aspects of chromatin and histone metabolism. Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding distinct isoforms have been found for this gene.[provided by RefSeq, Aug 2011]