Histone H3.1

Histone H3.1 is a core nucleosomal protein encoded by multiple gene copies (H3C1–H3C12) that wraps and compacts DNA into chromatin structures. It regulates transcription, DNA repair, DNA replication, and chromosomal stability through nucleosome positioning and post-translational modifications of the histone code (UniProt: P68431).

In the central nervous system, histones are fundamental architectural proteins affecting chromatin-dependent gene regulation. UniProt associates H3.1 with glioma, a CNS neoplasm category (UniProt: P68431). The protein's role in nucleosome remodeling positions it within broader chromatin biology pathways relevant to neural cells.

H3.1 shows significant upregulation in Alzheimer's disease brain tissue. Chaparral AD proteomics analysis of post-mortem AD brain versus age-matched controls detected H3.1 with a mean log2 fold-change of +1.962 across one subcellular fraction, indicating elevated protein levels in AD pathology (Chaparral AD proteomics). This upregulation may reflect altered chromatin dynamics or compensatory nucleosome remodeling associated with neurodegeneration.