The middle region of an HP1-binding protein, HP1-BP74, associates with linker DNA at the entry/exit site of nucleosomal DNA.

In higher eukaryotic cells, DNA molecules are present as chromatin fibers, complexes of DNA with various types of proteins; chromatin fibers are highly condensed in metaphase chromosomes during mitosis. Although the formation of the metaphase chromosome structure is essential for the equal segregation of replicated chromosomal DNA into the daughter cells, the mechanism involved in the organization of metaphase chromosomes is poorly understood. To identify proteins involved in the formation and/or maintenance of metaphase chromosomes, we examined proteins that dissociated from isolated human metaphase chromosomes by 0.