transition nuclear protein

{{short description|Proteins that are involved in the packaging of sperm nuclear DNA during spermiogenesis}}

Transition nuclear proteins (TNPs) are proteins that are involved in the packaging of sperm nuclear DNA during spermiogenesis. They take the place of histones associated with the sperm DNA, and are subsequently themselves replaced by protamines.{{cite journal |last1=Meistrich |first1=ML |last2=Mohapatra |first2=B |last3=Shirley |first3=CR |last4=Zhao |first4=M |title=Roles of transition nuclear proteins in spermiogenesis. |journal=Chromosoma |date=May 2003 |volume=111 |issue=8 |pages=483–8 |doi=10.1007/s00412-002-0227-z |pmid=12743712|s2cid=28866607 }}

TNPs in humans include TNP1 and TNP2.