The histone with a double life

Standard A broken strand of DNA is one of the most serious threats a cell can face. Across plants and animals, a protein called H2A.X has long been known as one of the cell’s first responders to such emergencies, helping detect and repair damaged DNA. Turns out, this molecular firefighter had another job altogether in rice plants. A new study at NCBS found that H2A.X does far more than respond to…