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Nature 424, 732-734 (14 August 2003) | doi:10.1038/424732a

Cancer: Protective packaging for DNA

Jessica A. Downs1 & Stephen P. Jackson2

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Histone proteins are best known for their structural role in packaging DNA into a compact form. But it seems that one such protein also works as a tumour suppressor, helping to prevent cancer developing.

Inside every human cell there is an impressive two metres or so of DNA, which must be organized into a compact form to fit into the cell nucleus. To do this, cells begin by wrapping the DNA around histone proteins.

  1. Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1GA, UK.
    Email: js4@mole.bio.cam.ac.uk
  2. Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Institute, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK.
    Email: spj13@mole.bio.cam.ac.uk