Project description:The 12-subunit Swi/Snf chromatin remodeling complex is conserved from yeast to humans. It functions to alter nucleosome positions by either sliding nucleosomes on DNA or evicting histones. Interestingly, 20% of all human cancers carry mutations in subunits of the Swi/Snf complex. Many of these mutations cause protein instability and loss, resulting in partial Swi/Snf complexes. Although several studies have shown that histone acetylation and activator-dependent recruitment of Swi/Snf regulate its function, it is less well understood how subunits regulate stability and function of the complex. Using functional proteomic and genomic approaches, we have assembled the network architecture of yeast Swi/Snf. In addition, we find that subunits of the Swi/Snf complex regulate occupancy of the catalytic subunit Snf2, thereby modulating gene transcription. Our findings have direct bearing on how cancer-causing mutations in orthologous subunits of human Swi/Snf may lead to aberrant regulation of gene expression by this complex.
Project description:The 12-subunit Swi/Snf chromatin remodeling complex is conserved from yeast to humans. It functions to alter nucleosome positions by either sliding nucleosomes on DNA or evicting histones. Interestingly, 20% of all human cancers carry mutations in subunits of the Swi/Snf complex. Many of these mutations cause protein instability and loss, resulting in partial Swi/Snf complexes. Although several studies have shown that histone acetylation and activator-dependent recruitment of Swi/Snf regulate its function, it is less well understood how subunits regulate stability and function of the complex. Using functional proteomic and genomic approaches, we have assembled the network architecture of yeast Swi/Snf. In addition, we find that subunits of the Swi/Snf complex regulate occupancy of the catalytic subunit Snf2, thereby modulating gene transcription. Our findings have direct bearing on how cancer-causing mutations in orthologous subunits of human Swi/Snf may lead to aberrant regulation of gene expression by this complex.
Project description:Advanced prostate cancer initially responds to hormonal treatment, but ultimately becomes resistant and requires more potent therapies. One mechanism of resistance seen in 10% of these patients is through lineage plasticity, which manifests in a partial or complete small cell or neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) phenotype. Here, we investigate the role of the mammalian SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex in NEPC. Using large patient datasets, patient-derived organoids and cancer cell lines, we identify SWI/SNF subunits that are deregulated in NEPC, demonstrate that SMARCA4 (BRG1) overexpression is associated with aggressive disease and that SMARCA4 depletion impairs prostate cancer cell growth. We also show that SWI/SNF complexes interact with different lineage-specific factors in prostate adenocarcinoma and in NEPC cells, and that induction of lineage plasticity through depletion of REST is accompanied by changes in SWI/SNF genome occupancy. These data suggest a specific role for mSWI/SNF complexes in therapy-related lineage plasticity, which may be relevant for other solid tumors.
Project description:The 12-subunit Swi/Snf chromatin remodeling complex is conserved from yeast to humans. It functions to alter nucleosome positions by either sliding nucleosomes on DNA or evicting histones. Interestingly, 20% of all human cancers carry mutations in subunits of the Swi/Snf complex. Many of these mutations cause protein instability and loss, resulting in partial Swi/Snf complexes. Although several studies have shown that histone acetylation and activator-dependent recruitment of Swi/Snf regulate its function, it is less well understood how subunits regulate stability and function of the complex. Using functional proteomic and genomic approaches, we have assembled the network architecture of yeast Swi/Snf. In addition, we find that subunits of the Swi/Snf complex regulate occupancy of the catalytic subunit Snf2, thereby modulating gene transcription. Our findings have direct bearing on how cancer-causing mutations in orthologous subunits of human Swi/Snf may lead to aberrant regulation of gene expression by this complex.
Project description:A systems understanding of nuclear organization and events is critical for determining how cells divide, differentiate and respond to stimuli and for identifying the causes of diseases. Chromatin remodeling complexes such as SWI/SNF have been implicated in a wide variety of cellular processes including gene expression, nuclear organization, centromere function and chromosomal stability, and mutations in SWI/SNF components have been linked to several types of cancer. To better understand the biological processes in which chromatin remodeling proteins participate we globally mapped binding regions for several components of the SWI/SNF complex throughout the human genome using ChIP-Seq. SWI/SNF components were found to lie near regulatory elements integral to transcription (e.g. 5M-bM-^@M-^Y ends, RNA Polymerases II and III and enhancers) as well as regions critical for chromosome organization (e.g. CTCF, lamins and DNA replication origins). To further elucidate the association of SWI/SNF subunits with each other as well as with other nuclear proteins we also analyzed SWI/SNF immunoprecipitated complexes by mass spectrometry. Individual SWI/SNF factors are associated with their own family members as well as with cellular constituents such as nuclear matrix proteins, key transcription factors and centromere components implying a ubiquitous role in gene regulation and nuclear function. We find an overrepresentation of both SWI/SNF-associated regions and proteins in cell cycle and chromosome organization. Taken together the results from our ChIP and immunoprecipitation experiments suggest that SWI/SNF facilitates gene regulation and genome function more broadly and through a greater diversity of interactions than previously appreciated. ChIP-Seq analysis of the SWI/SNF subunits Ini1, Brg1, BAF155 and BAF170 in HeLa S3 cells
Project description:Switch defective/sucrose non-fermentable (SWI/SNF) complexes are evolutionarily conserved multi-subunit machines that play vital roles in chromatin architecture regulation for modulating gene expression via sliding or ejection of nucleosomes in eukaryotes. In plants, perturbations of SWI/SNF subunits often result in severe developmental disorders. However, the subunit composition, pathways of assembly, and genomic targeting of the plant SWI/SNF complexes remain undefined. Here, we reveal that Arabidopsis SWI/SNF complexes exist in three distinct final form assemblies: BRM-associated SWI/SNF complexes (BAS), SYD-associated SWI/SNF complexes (SAS) and MINU-associated SWI/SNF complexes (MAS). We show that BAS complexes are equivalent to human ncBAF, whereas SAS and MAS complexes evolve in multiple subunits unique to plants, suggesting a plant-specific functional evolution of SWI/SNF complexes. We further demonstrate overlapping and specific genomic targeting of the three plant SWI/SNF complexes on chromatin and reveal that SAS complexes are necessary for the correct genomic localization of the BAS complexes. Finally, by focusing on the SAS and BAS complexes, we establish a requirement for both the core module subunit and the ATPase in the assembly of the plant SWI/SNF complexes. Together, our work highlights the divergence of SWI/SNF chromatin remodelers during the eukaryote evolution and provides a comprehensive landscape for understanding the plant SWI/SNF complexes organization, assembly, genomic targeting, and function.
Project description:Genes encoding subunits of SWI/SNF (BAF) chromatin remodeling complexes are mutated in >20% of cancers. SWI/SNF complexes exist in three distinct families that each contribute to regulation of transcription, although the functional interactions between the families are not well understood. Rhabdoid tumors constitute an informative model system as these highly aggressive cancers are driven by inactivation of a single SWI/SNF subunit, SMARCB1, which is present in two SWI/SNF families (cBAF and PBAF) but not in the third (GBAF/ncBAF). We and others have shown that BRD9, a therapeutically targetable member of ncBAF, is essential specifically in SMARCB1-deficient cancers, suggesting key functional relationships between SMARCB1-containing complexes and BRD9/ncBAF. However, the mechanistic underpinnings of these relationships are poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that genomic binding of BRD9 is largely dependent upon SMARCB1 such that the absence of SMARCB1 results in significantly reduced BRD9 binding. At select sites, however, we show that SMARCB1-loss results in gain of BRD9 binding and BRD9-dependent accessibility. We find that this gain is associated with expression of genes promoting cell migration. Our results define relationships between SWI/SNF complex families, elucidate mechanisms by which SMARCB1 loss drives oncogenesis, and provide mechanistic insight into the synthetic-lethal relationship between SMARCB1 and BRD9.
Project description:Genes encoding subunits of SWI/SNF (BAF) chromatin remodeling complexes are mutated in >20% of cancers. SWI/SNF complexes exist in three distinct families that each contribute to regulation of transcription, although the functional interactions between the families are not well understood. Rhabdoid tumors constitute an informative model system as these highly aggressive cancers are driven by inactivation of a single SWI/SNF subunit, SMARCB1, which is present in two SWI/SNF families (cBAF and PBAF) but not in the third (GBAF/ncBAF). We and others have shown that BRD9, a therapeutically targetable member of ncBAF, is essential specifically in SMARCB1-deficient cancers, suggesting key functional relationships between SMARCB1-containing complexes and BRD9/ncBAF. However, the mechanistic underpinnings of these relationships are poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that genomic binding of BRD9 is largely dependent upon SMARCB1 such that the absence of SMARCB1 results in significantly reduced BRD9 binding. At select sites, however, we show that SMARCB1-loss results in gain of BRD9 binding and BRD9-dependent accessibility. We find that this gain is associated with expression of genes promoting cell migration. Our results define relationships between SWI/SNF complex families, elucidate mechanisms by which SMARCB1 loss drives oncogenesis, and provide mechanistic insight into the synthetic-lethal relationship between SMARCB1 and BRD9.
Project description:Genes encoding subunits of SWI/SNF (BAF) chromatin remodeling complexes are mutated in >20% of cancers. SWI/SNF complexes exist in three distinct families that each contribute to regulation of transcription, although the functional interactions between the families are not well understood. Rhabdoid tumors constitute an informative model system as these highly aggressive cancers are driven by inactivation of a single SWI/SNF subunit, SMARCB1, which is present in two SWI/SNF families (cBAF and PBAF) but not in the third (GBAF/ncBAF). We and others have shown that BRD9, a therapeutically targetable member of ncBAF, is essential specifically in SMARCB1-deficient cancers, suggesting key functional relationships between SMARCB1-containing complexes and BRD9/ncBAF. However, the mechanistic underpinnings of these relationships are poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that genomic binding of BRD9 is largely dependent upon SMARCB1 such that the absence of SMARCB1 results in significantly reduced BRD9 binding. At select sites, however, we show that SMARCB1-loss results in gain of BRD9 binding and BRD9-dependent accessibility. We find that this gain is associated with expression of genes promoting cell migration. Our results define relationships between SWI/SNF complex families, elucidate mechanisms by which SMARCB1 loss drives oncogenesis, and provide mechanistic insight into the synthetic-lethal relationship between SMARCB1 and BRD9.
Project description:Genes encoding subunits of SWI/SNF (BAF) chromatin remodeling complexes are mutated in >20% of cancers. SWI/SNF complexes exist in three distinct families that each contribute to regulation of transcription, although the functional interactions between the families are not well understood. Rhabdoid tumors constitute an informative model system as these highly aggressive cancers are driven by inactivation of a single SWI/SNF subunit, SMARCB1, which is present in two SWI/SNF families (cBAF and PBAF) but not in the third (GBAF/ncBAF). We and others have shown that BRD9, a therapeutically targetable member of ncBAF, is essential specifically in SMARCB1-deficient cancers, suggesting key functional relationships between SMARCB1-containing complexes and BRD9/ncBAF. However, the mechanistic underpinnings of these relationships are poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that genomic binding of BRD9 is largely dependent upon SMARCB1 such that the absence of SMARCB1 results in significantly reduced BRD9 binding. At select sites, however, we show that SMARCB1-loss results in gain of BRD9 binding and BRD9-dependent accessibility. We find that this gain is associated with expression of genes promoting cell migration. Our results define relationships between SWI/SNF complex families, elucidate mechanisms by which SMARCB1 loss drives oncogenesis, and provide mechanistic insight into the synthetic-lethal relationship between SMARCB1 and BRD9.