SWI/SNF Chromatin Remodelers: Structural, Functional and Mechanistic Implications

The nuclear events of a eukaryotic cell, such as replication, transcription, recombination and repair etc. require the transition of the compactly arranged chromatin into an uncompacted state and vice-versa. This is mediated by post-translational modification of the histones, exchange of histone variants and ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling. The SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes are one of the most well characterized families of chromatin remodelers. In addition to their role in modulating chromatin, they have also been assigned roles in cancer and health-related anomalies such as developmental, neurocognitive, and intellectual disabilities. Owing to their vital cellular and medical connotations, developing an understanding of the structural and functional aspects of the complex becomes imperative. However, due to the intricate nature of higher-order chromatin as well as compositional heterogeneity of the SWI/SNF complex, intra-species isoforms and inter-species homologs, this often becomes challenging. To this end, the present review attempts to present an amalgamated perspective on the discovery, structure, function, and regulation of the SWI/SNF complex.

Automated summary

The nuclear events in eukaryotic cells, such as replication, transcription, recombination, and repair, are mediated by chromatin remodeling. The SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes play crucial roles in modulating chromatin and have implications in cancer and health-related anomalies. Understanding the structure and function of the SWI/SNF complex is challenging due to the complexity of higher-order chromatin and compositional heterogeneity. This review aims to provide a comprehensive perspective on the discovery, structure, function, and regulation of the SWI/SNF complex.