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Histone

The proteins that form the heart of DNA packaging in the chromosome and are the reason why three meters of DNA can fit into a cell. The DNA wraps around each histone almost twice, like pearls on a string. The packaging of histones is controlled by enzymes such as sirtuins, which add and remove chemical groups. A tight package forms a “silent” heterochromatin, while a loose package forms an open euchromatin in which the genes are activated.