Histone H3.3 variant plays a critical role on zygote development in Plasmodium. Plasmodium berghei

The Plasmodium life cycle involves differentiation into multiple morphologically distinct forms, a process regulated by developmental stage-specific gene expression. Histone proteins are involved in epigenetic regulation in eukaryotes, and the histone variant H3.3 plays a key role in the regulation of gene expression and maintenance of genomic integrity during embryonic development in mice.

疟原虫（Plasmodium）的生命周期包含向多种形态学上迥异的形态分化的过程，该过程受发育阶段特异性基因表达调控。组蛋白（Histone proteins）参与真核生物的表观遗传调控（epigenetic regulation），而组蛋白变体H3.3在小鼠的胚胎发育过程中，对基因表达调控与基因组完整性的维持发挥关键作用。