Which of the following molecular characteristics cause histones to bind tightly to DNA?
A) Histones are positively charged, and DNA is negatively charged.
B) Histones are negatively charged, and DNA is positively charged.
C) Both histones and DNA are strongly hydrophobic.
D) Histones are covalently linked to the DNA.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Histones are positively charged due to the presence of many lysine and arginine residues in their structure, while DNA is negatively charged due to the phosphate groups in the sugar-phosphate backbone. This charge interaction between histones and DNA results in a tight binding of the histones to DNA, forming the nucleosome core particle.

Which of the Following Molecular Characteristics Cause Histones to Bind