Histone H1 and Chromatin Higher-Order Structure

The linker histone H1, or its variants such as H5, have long thought to be involved in promoting the organization of chromatin into a higher-order structure, the 30 nm filament. However, the location of H1 in the filament, its role in filament formation and the structure of the 30 nm filament itself have all been controversial. This article reviews recent results that address these questions.