Histone-like proteins of the dinoflagellate Crypthecodinium cohnii have homologies to bacterial DNA-binding proteins.

The dinoflagellates have very large genomes encoded in permanently condensed and histoneless chromosomes. Sequence alignment identified significant similarity between the dinoflagellate chromosomal histone-like proteins of Crypthecodinium cohnii (HCCs) and the bacterial DNA-binding and the eukaryotic histone H1 proteins. Phylogenetic analysis also supports the origin of the HCCs from histone-like proteins of bacteria.