: any of various simple water-soluble proteins that are rich in the basic amino acids lysine and arginine and are complexed with DNA in the nucleosomes of eukaryotic chromatin
Examples of histone in a Sentence
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Research by Lakadamyali has revealed, for instance, that the DNA-histone strings of beads organize into much more variable structures than scientists had assumed, with some regions of DNA more tightly packed than others.
—
Katarina Zimmer, JSTOR Daily, 14 Aug. 2025
The meters-long strand of DNA in every cell is wound around proteins called histones.
—Viviane Callier, Quanta Magazine, 21 Mar. 2025
Ultimately, the researchers found that PM 2.5 exposure can affect histone patterns in pregnant individuals in a way that disrupts cytokine genes and causes increased inflammation in both parent and child.
—Sharon Udasin, The Hill, 29 Nov. 2024
Attachment of these markers to DNA helps relax histone proteins, enabling chromatin to open.
—William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
Work in animal models has also shown that exercise changes gene expression by altering both histones and the molecular tags directly attached to DNA.
—Karla Kaun, Discover Magazine, 26 Jan. 2024
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Katarina Zimmer, JSTOR Daily, 14 Aug. 2025
The meters-long strand of DNA in every cell is wound around proteins called histones.
—Viviane Callier, Quanta Magazine, 21 Mar. 2025
Ultimately, the researchers found that PM 2.5 exposure can affect histone patterns in pregnant individuals in a way that disrupts cytokine genes and causes increased inflammation in both parent and child.
—Sharon Udasin, The Hill, 29 Nov. 2024
Attachment of these markers to DNA helps relax histone proteins, enabling chromatin to open.
—William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
Work in animal models has also shown that exercise changes gene expression by altering both histones and the molecular tags directly attached to DNA.
—Karla Kaun, Discover Magazine, 26 Jan. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Histone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/histone. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
histone
noun
his·tone
ˈhis-ˌtōn 
: any of various simple water-soluble proteins that are rich in the basic amino acids lysine and arginine and are complexed with DNA in the nucleosomes of eukaryotic chromatin
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