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Epigenomics

SWI/SNF function compensated by another chromatin remodeller

Nature Reviews Genetics volume 25, page 5 (2024)Cite this article

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The SWI/SNF complex remodels chromatin across the mammalian genome, and loss of SWI/SNF function plays a large part in cancer development. The mechanisms by which altered SWI/SNF function affects its targets have remained unclear. In a recent paper in Cell, Martin et al. characterize the epigenomic and transcriptomic effects of SWI/SNF inhibition across time to show that, at some targets, SWI/SNF function is compensated for by the EP400/TIP60 chromatin remodeller complex.

Next, the authors found that most promoters exhibited reduced chromatin accessibility after SWI/SNF inhibition. However, in contrast to the persistent loss of chromatin accessibility for most enhancers, most promoters eventually regained chromatin accessibility (termed SWI/SNF-independent promoters). This pattern of reduction followed by restoration of chromatin accessibility at promoters was also observed for expression levels of the corresponding genes. However, the authors also identified a subset of promoters for which chromatin accessibility and gene expression levels were not restored (termed SWI/SNF-dependent promoters), which suggests that the mechanistic responses to SWI/SNF inhibition are not uniform across promoters. By comparing SWI/SNF-dependent and -independent promoters, the authors found that the two promoter categories differed in many epigenetic measures and corresponding gene expression levels.

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Original article

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  • Cenik, B. K. & Shilatifard, A. COMPASS and SWI/SNF complexes in development and disease. Nat. Rev. Genet. 22, 38–58 (2021)

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  1. Nature Reviews Genetics http://www.nature.com/nrg/

    Henry Ertl

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  1. Henry Ertl
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Correspondence to Henry Ertl.

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Ertl, H. SWI/SNF function compensated by another chromatin remodeller. Nat Rev Genet 25, 5 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41576-023-00680-z

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