High mobility group nucleosome-binding domain-containing protein 4 is a transcription factor

Transcription factor

In molecular biology and genetics, a transcription factor is a protein that binds to specific DNA sequences, thereby controlling the flow of genetic information from DNA to mRNA...

 that in humans is encoded by the HMGN4 gene

Gene

A gene is a molecular unit of heredity of a living organism. It is a name given to some stretches of DNA and RNA that code for a type of protein or for an RNA chain that has a function in the organism. Living beings depend on genes, as they specify all proteins and functional RNA chains...

.

Function

The protein encoded by this gene, a member of the HMGN

HMGN

The term HMGN stands for High Mobility Group Nucleosome-binding. HMGN proteins are members of the broader class of High mobility group chromosomal proteins that help in transcription, replication, recombination, and DNA repair....

 protein family, is thought to reduce the compactness of the chromatin

Chromatin

Chromatin is the combination of DNA and proteins that make up the contents of the nucleus of a cell. The primary functions of chromatin are; to package DNA into a smaller volume to fit in the cell, to strengthen the DNA to allow mitosis and meiosis and prevent DNA damage, and to control gene...

 fiber in nucleosome

Nucleosome

Nucleosomes are the basic unit of DNA packaging in eukaryotes, consisting of a segment of DNA wound around a histone protein core. This structure is often compared to thread wrapped around a spool....

s, thereby enhancing transcription from chromatin templates. Transcript variants utilizing alternative polyadenylation signals exist for this gene.