Final answer:
Histone proteins are responsible for maintaining the first level of DNA organization in a eukaryotic cell by enabling DNA to wrap around them, forming nucleosomes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question refers to the first level of DNA organization in a eukaryotic cell. The molecule that maintains the first level of DNA organization in a eukaryotic cell is histone.
DNA wraps around histone proteins, forming nucleosomes, which are the basic units of chromatin structure. This nucleosome structure allows for the DNA to be efficiently packaged within the nucleus. The wrapping of DNA around histones reduces the length of the DNA and aids in its organization and stabilization.
Cohesion and condensin are molecules involved in the later stages of DNA compaction, particularly during the process of cell division, but it is the histone proteins that are responsible for the initial level of DNA organization in the cells.