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Updated: May 10, 2026

Assays for Validating Histone Acetyltransferase Inhibitors
Published on: August 6, 2020
Histone acetyltransferase complexes stabilize swi/snf binding to promoter nucleosomes
A H Hassan1, K E Neely, J L Workman
1Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department, of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, 16802, University Park, PA, USA
Abstract:
To investigate the function of SWI/SNF in site-specific chromatin remodeling at promoters, we have used a purified system to analyze its distribution, function, and retention following recruitment by a sequence-specific transcription activator. Activator recruitment of SWI/SNF bound the complex to promoter proximal nucleosomes and led to localized nucleosome disruption. However, retention of SWI/SNF on the promoter required either the continued binding of the transcription activator or acetylated histones. Histone acetylation by either the SAGA or NuA4 HAT complexes increased the retention of SWI/SNF on the promoter. These data illustrate a functional link between HAT complexes and the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex and provide a mechanistic basis for the ordered recruitment of these complexes.
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