Recombinant Human Histone H3-like centromeric protein A (CENPA)

Uniprot Id

P49450

Target Species

Human

Target Name

CENPA

Target Full Name

Histone H3-like centromeric protein A

Target Function

Histone H3-like nucleosomal protein that is specifically found in centromeric nucleosomes. Replaces conventional H3 in the nucleosome core of centromeric chromatin at the inner plate of the kinetochore. The presence of CENPA subtly modifies the nucleosome structure and the way DNA is wrapped around the nucleosome and gives rise to protruding DNA ends that are less well-ordered and rigid compared to nucleosomes containing histone H3. May serve as an epigenetic mark that propagates centromere identity through replication and cell division. Required for recruitment and assembly of kinetochore proteins, and as a consequence required for progress through mitosis, chromosome segregation and cytokinesis.

Target Subcellular Location

Nucleus. Chromosome, centromere, kinetochore. Chromosome, centromere.

Target Protein Families

Histone H3 family

Target Synonyms

CENP A; CENP-A; cenpa; CENPA_HUMAN; Centromere autoantigen A; Centromere protein A 17kDa ; Centromere protein A; Histone H3 like centromeric protein A; Histone H3-like centromeric protein A

Target Background

Centromeres are the differentiated chromosomal domains that specify the mitotic behavior of chromosomes. This gene encodes a centromere protein which contains a histone H3 related histone fold domain that is required for targeting to the centromere. Centromere protein A is proposed to be a component of a modified nucleosome or nucleosome-like structure in which it replaces 1 or both copies of conventional histone H3 in the (H3-H4)2 tetrameric core of the nucleosome particle. The protein is a replication-independent histone that is a member of the histone H3 family. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants encoding distinct isoforms.