Open AccessMaximal Induction of a Subset of Interferon Target Genes Requires the Chromatin-Remodeling Activity of the BAF Complex
Author(s) -
Hong Liu,
Hyeog Kang,
Rui Liu,
Xin Chen,
Keji Zhao
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
molecular and cellular biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.14
H-Index - 327
eISSN - 1067-8824
pISSN - 0270-7306
DOI - 10.1128/mcb.22.18.6471-6479.2002
Subject(s) - chromatin remodeling , biology , chromatin , microbiology and biotechnology , transcription factor , activator (genetics) , transcription (linguistics) , chromatin structure remodeling (rsc) complex , promoter , gene , gene expression , genetics , linguistics , philosophy
The mammalian SWI/SNF-like chromatin-remodeling BAF complex plays several important roles in controlling cell proliferation and differentiation. Interferons (IFNs) are key mediators of cellular antiviral and antiproliferative activities. In this report, we demonstrate that the BAF complex is required for the maximal induction of a subset of IFN target genes by alpha IFN (IFN-alpha). The BAF complex is constitutively associated with the IFITM3 promoter in vivo and facilitates the chromatin remodeling of the promoter upon IFN-alpha induction. Furthermore, we show that the ubiquitous transcription activator Sp1 interacts with the BAF complex in vivo and augments the BAF-mediated activation of the IFITM3 promoter. Sp1 binds constitutively to the IFITM3 promoter in the absence of the BAF complex, suggesting that it may recruit and/or stabilize the BAF complex binding to the IFITM3 promoter. Our results bring new mechanistic insights into the antiproliferative effects of the chromatin-remodeling BAF complex.