UC San Diego

Chromatin structure and specifically sites of open or accessible chromatin regulate transcription factor binding to determine cell type-specific gene expression. Two new studies find that there is a constant requirement for SWI/SNF complex remodeling to maintain open chromatin using chemical and genetic methods that acutely inhibit or degrade the BRG1/BRM ATPase subunits, leading to loss in transcription factor binding and altered gene expression.