1 Division
of Gene Regulation, The Wellcome Trust Biocentre, Dundee, DD1 5EH, Scotland
2 School of
Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, Scotland
3 Havard University,
Massachusetts General Hospital, Molecular Biology, 70 Blossom Street, Wellman
10th Floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02114
4 The Department
of Pathology, Emory University, Woodruff Memorial Research Building, 1639
Pierce Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30322
Corresponding
author: Tom Owen-Hughes, 44 1382 345 796 (phone), 44 1382 348072 (fax),
E-mail: owenhughes@dundee.ac.uk
ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling activities participate in the alteration of chromatin structure during gene regulation. All have DNA- or chromatin-stimulated ATPase activity and many can alter the structure of chromatin; however, the means by which they do this have remained unclear. Here we describe a novel activity for ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling activities, the ability to generate unconstrained negative superhelical torsion in DNA and chromatin. We find that the ability to distort DNA is shared by the yeast SWI/SNF complex, Xenopus Mi-2 complex, recombinant ISWI, and recombinant BRG1, suggesting that the generation of superhelical torsion represents a primary biomechanical activity shared by all Snf2p-related ATPase motors. The generation of superhelical torque provides a potent means by which ATP-dependent chromatin remodelingactivities can manipulate chromatin structure.
1. "SWI/SNF Chromatin Remodeling Requires Changes in DNA Topology".
2. "Selective Control of DNA Helix Openings During Gene Regulation".