SWI/SNF-A (BAF) chromatin remodeling complex

Function

• ATP-dependent chromatin-remodeling complex
• roles in
  • cell proliferation & differentiation
  • cellular antiviral activity
  • inhibition of tumor formation
• able to create a stable, altered form of chromatin that constrains fewer negative supercoils than normal; this change in supercoiling would be due to the conversion of up to 1/2 of the nucleosomes on polynucleosomal arrays into asymmetric structures, termed altosomes, each composed of 2 histone octamers

Structure

• subunits:
  • actin (ACTB), ARID1A, ARID1B/BAF250, SMARCA2, SMARCA4/BRG1/BAF190A, ACTL6A/BAF53, ACTL6B/BAF53B, SMARCE1/BAF57, SMARCC1/BAF155, SMARCC2/BAF170, SMARCB1/SNF5/INI1, & one or more of SMARCD1/BAF60A, SMARCD2/BAF60B, or SMARCD3/BAF60C
  • in muscle cells, the BAF complex also contains DPF3

More general terms

• SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex

More specific terms

• BAF53 complex
• bBAF complex (brain-specific chromatin remodeling complex)
• nBAF complex (neuron-specific chromatin remodeling complex)
• npBAF complex (neural progenitors-specific chromatin remodeling complex)