Isolation of a novel complex of the SWI/SNF family from Schizosaccharomyces pombe and its effects on in vitro transcription in nucleosome arrays

Giuliano Bernal; Edio Maldonado

doi:10.1007/s11010-007-9465-y

Isolation of a novel complex of the SWI/SNF family from Schizosaccharomyces pombe and its effects on in vitro transcription in nucleosome arrays

Mol Cell Biochem. 2007 Sep;303(1-2):131-9. doi: 10.1007/s11010-007-9465-y. Epub 2007 May 17.

Authors

Giuliano Bernal¹, Edio Maldonado

Affiliation

¹ Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Centro de Biomedicina del Norte (CBN), Universidad Católica del Norte, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile. gbernal@ucn.cl

PMID: 17508131
DOI: 10.1007/s11010-007-9465-y

Abstract

The family of ATP-dependent chromatin-remodeling factors plays a central role in eukaryotic transcriptional regulation. These complexes can alter the structure of chromatin by mechanisms that involve nucleosome sliding, dissociation, or replacement over a specific promoter. The SWI/SNF chromatin-remodeling complex is required for transcriptional activation or repression in a subset of genes. In the present study we have isolated the spSWI/SNF complex from Schizosaccharomyces pombe, which has at least seven subunits among them spSwi1-like and the catalytic subunit spBrg1. These subunits are homologues to Swi1 and Swi2/Snf2, respectively in Sacharomyces cerevisiae. Moreover, we have demonstrated that spSWI/SNF is able to promote in vitro transcription by RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) in a reconstituted system. In our transcription assays with cellular extracts of Sc. pombe we did not observe inhibition when alpha-Swi1 antibodies were utilized, indicating that other chromatin-remodeling complexes may allow transcription in Sc. pombe.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Cell Cycle Proteins / genetics
Cell Cycle Proteins / metabolism*
Chromatin / metabolism
DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
Fungal Proteins / genetics
Fungal Proteins / metabolism*
HeLa Cells
Histones / metabolism
Humans
Nucleosomes / physiology*
Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / genetics
Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism*
RNA Polymerase II / genetics
RNA Polymerase II / metabolism*
Schizosaccharomyces / genetics
Schizosaccharomyces / growth & development
Schizosaccharomyces / metabolism*
Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins / genetics
Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins / metabolism*
Transcription Factors / metabolism
Transcription, Genetic*
Transcriptional Activation

Substances

Cell Cycle Proteins
Chromatin
DNA-Binding Proteins
Fungal Proteins
Histones
Nucleosomes
Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins
Transcription Factors
swi1 protein, S pombe
SNF1-related protein kinases
Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
RNA Polymerase II