Histone H2A.X is a member of the Histone H2A family, which is involved in nucleosomal organization of chromatin. An important phosphorylated form is γH2AX (S139), which forms when double-strand breaks appear. In humans and other eukaryotes, the DNA is wrapped around histone octamers, consisting of core histones H2A, H2B, H3 and H4, to form chromatin. H2AX contributes to nucleosome-formation, chromatin-remodeling and DNA repair, and is also used in vitro as an assay for double-strand breaks in dsDNA.