Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 16, 2026

Monitoring the Assembly of a Secreted Bacterial Virulence Factor Using Site-specific Crosslinking
Published on: December 17, 2013
Barrier-to-autointegration factor--a BAFfling little protein
Ayelet Margalit1, Andreas Brachner, Josef Gotzmann
1Department of Genetics, The Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel.
Abstract:
Barrier-to-autointegration factor (BAF) is an abundant, highly conserved, small and essential protein that binds to dsDNA, chromatin, nuclear lamina proteins, histones and various transcription factors. It was discovered as a cellular component of retrovirus pre-integration complex that inhibits their autointegration in vitro. BAF is also required for many cellular functions, including the higher-order organization of chromatin and the transcription of specific genes. Recent findings suggest further roles for BAF, including nuclear envelope assembly, regulating specific developmental processes and regulating retrovirus infectivity. At least some of these roles are controlled by phosphorylation of the BAF N-terminus by the vaccinia-related kinase. Here, we give an overview of recent advances in the field of BAF with special emphasis on evolution, interacting partners and functions.
Related Concept Videos
Protein Complexes with Interchangeable Parts
The SCF ubiquitin ligase is a protein complex of five individual proteins. This complex attaches ubiquitin to other target proteins to mark them for degradation. In order to...
Intracellular Signaling Affects Focal Adhesions
Some...
Integrins
Some ECM proteins assemble into a basement membrane to which the remaining components adhere. Proteoglycans typically form the bulk of the ECM while fibrous proteins, like collagen,...
Activation of Integrins
In "outside-in signaling," external factors in the extracellular space bind to exposed ligand binding sites on integrins. This causes the inactive protein to undergo a conformational change to become active. Integrins are often clustered on the cell membrane. Repetitive and regularly spaced ligand binding events provide an effective stimulus.
Protein Complex Assembly
Many viruses self-assemble into a fully functional unit using the infected host cell to...
Rab Proteins
Rab proteins switch between a cytosolic, GDP-bound inactive state and a membrane-anchored, GTP-bound active state. By themselves, Rabs show slow rates of GDP/GTP exchange and GTP hydrolysis. Thus, Rab proteins are considered...

