Final answer:
It is true that in sperm, histones are largely replaced by protamines to achieve a more compact DNA packaging, which is essential for the protective and delivery roles of the sperm.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that to further compact the DNA in sperm, the majority of histones are replaced with protamines is TRUE. During the process of sperm formation, sperm cells undergo a dramatic change in DNA packaging. The histones, which are the normal DNA-binding proteins used in eukaryotic DNA packaging, are largely replaced by small, arginine-rich proteins called protamines. This causes the DNA to become more densely packed than it is in somatic cells, allowing the DNA to fit into the very compact head of the sperm.
In typical eukaryotic cells, DNA wraps around histones to form nucleosomes, resembling "beads on a string". This structure coils into a 30-nm chromatin fiber, and then further compaction occurs for the dense packaging within the nucleus.
During spermatogenesis, histones are replaced by protamines, leading to a tightly compressed form of DNA necessary for the successful delivery of the paternal genome upon fertilization. Protamine packaging is essential for protecting the DNA during its transit and for facilitating the subsequent DNA decondensation necessary after fertilization.