Transcriptional co-activator activity of SYT is negatively regulated by BRM and Brg1

The t(X;18)(p11.2;q11.2) translocation found in synovial sarcomas results in the fusion of the SYT gene on chromosome 18 to the SSX gene on chromosome X. Although the SYT-SSX fusion proteins may trigger synovial sarcoma development, the biological functions of SYT, SSX and SYT-SSX genes are unclear. Transfections of Gal4 DNA binding domain fusion protein constructs demonstrate that SYT protein acts as a transcriptional co-activator at the C-terminal domain and that the activity is repressed through the N-terminus. The N-terminal 70 amino acids of SYT bind not only to BRM, but also to Brg1, both of which are subunits of SWI/SNF chromatin remodelling complexes. Here, we have investigated the functions of BRM and Brg1 on the repression of SYT activity. The negative regulation of SYT transcriptional co-activator activity is dependent on the ATP-hydrolysis of BRM and Brg1 in the protein complexes. This indicates that the SWI/SNF protein complexes regulate SYT activity using the chromatin remodelling activity.