Interplay between histone variants and chaperones in plants

Histone chaperones and histone variants play crucial roles in DNA replication, gene transcription, and DNA repair in eukaryotes. Histone chaperones reversibly promote nucleosome assembly and disassembly by incorporating or evicting histones and histone variants to modulate chromatin accessibility, thereby altering the chromatin states and modulating DNA-related biological processes. Cofactors assist histone chaperones to target specific chromatin regions to regulate the exchange of histones and histone variants. In this review, we summarize recent progress in the interplay between histone variants and chaperones in plants. We discuss the structural basis of chaperone–histone complexes and the mechanisms of their cooperation in regulating gene transcription and plant development.