Chromatin remodeling: a marriage between two families?

Bioessays. 1998 Sep;20(9):771-80. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1521-1878(199809)20:9<771::AID-BIES10>3.0.CO;2-V.

Abstract

The compaction of the eukaryotic genome into a highly folded chromatin structure necessitates cellular mechanisms for allowing access of regulatory proteins to the DNA template. Recent advances in the fields of gene silencing, transcription, recombination, and DNA repair have led to the identification of two distinct families of chromatin remodeling enzymes--nuclear histone acetyltransferases and multisubunit complexes that harbor a SWI2/SNF2 ATPase family member. This paper reviews the current notion of how these enzymes function in remodeling chromatin; we then discuss some tantalizing lines of evidence that lead to the hypothesis that members of both families may actually function in concert to facilitate cellular processes in the context of chromatin.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Acetylation
  • Acetyltransferases / physiology*
  • Adenosine Triphosphatases / genetics
  • Adenosine Triphosphatases / physiology
  • Animals
  • Chromatin / enzymology
  • Chromatin / physiology
  • Chromatin / ultrastructure*
  • Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / physiology*
  • DNA Helicases
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / physiology
  • Fungal Proteins / genetics
  • Fungal Proteins / physiology
  • Gene Expression Regulation*
  • Histone Acetyltransferases
  • Histones / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Macromolecular Substances
  • Models, Genetic
  • Multienzyme Complexes / physiology*
  • Multigene Family
  • Nuclear Proteins*
  • Nucleosomes / metabolism
  • Protein Processing, Post-Translational
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins*
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / physiology
  • Transcription, Genetic / physiology*

Substances

  • Chromatin
  • Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Fungal Proteins
  • Histones
  • Macromolecular Substances
  • Multienzyme Complexes
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Nucleosomes
  • SMARCA1 protein, human
  • SMARCA2 protein, human
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins
  • Transcription Factors
  • Acetyltransferases
  • Histone Acetyltransferases
  • Adenosine Triphosphatases
  • SMARCA4 protein, human
  • DNA Helicases