BAF (SWI/SNF) chromatin remodelers engage binding partners to generate site-specific DNA accessibility. However, the basis for interaction between BAF and divergent binding partners has remained unclear. Here, we tested the hypothesis that scaffold proteins augment BAF's binding repertoire by examining β-catenin (CTNNB1) and steroidogenic factor 1 (SF-1, NR5A1), a transcription factor central to steroid production in human cells. BAF inhibition rapidly opposed SF-1/β-catenin enhancer occupancy, impairing SF-1 target activation and SF-1/β-catenin autoregulation. These effects arise due to β-catenin's role as a molecular adapter between SF-1 and an intrinsically disordered region (IDR) of the canonical BAF (cBAF) subunit ARID1A. In contrast to exclusively IDR-driven mechanisms, adapter function is mediated by direct association of ARID1A with β-catenin's folded Armadillo repeats. β-catenin similarly linked cBAF to YAP1, SOX2, FOXO3, and CBP/p300, reflecting a general IDR-mediated mechanism for modular coordination between factors. Molecular visualization highlights β-catenin's adapter role for interaction of cBAF with binding partners.

• Keywords
• IDRs, adrenocortical carcinoma, chromatin remodeling, co-activators, scaffold proteins, steroid hormones, transcription factors, transcription regulators, unstructured protein,
• MeSH
• Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing metabolism   genetics   MeSH
• beta Catenin * metabolism   genetics   chemistry   MeSH
• DNA-Binding Proteins * metabolism   genetics   chemistry   MeSH
• Phosphoproteins metabolism   genetics   MeSH
• HEK293 Cells MeSH
• Nuclear Proteins * metabolism   genetics   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Forkhead Box Protein O3 metabolism   genetics   MeSH
• YAP-Signaling Proteins MeSH
• Signal Transduction MeSH
• Steroidogenic Factor 1 * metabolism   genetics   MeSH
• p300-CBP Transcription Factors metabolism   genetics   MeSH
• Transcription Factors * metabolism   genetics   chemistry   MeSH
• Protein Binding MeSH
• Binding Sites MeSH
• Intrinsically Disordered Proteins * metabolism   genetics   MeSH
• Enhancer Elements, Genetic MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing MeSH
• ARID1A protein, human MeSH Browser
• beta Catenin * MeSH
• CTNNB1 protein, human MeSH Browser
• DNA-Binding Proteins * MeSH
• Phosphoproteins MeSH
• Nuclear Proteins * MeSH
• NR5A1 protein, human MeSH Browser
• Forkhead Box Protein O3 MeSH
• YAP-Signaling Proteins MeSH
• Steroidogenic Factor 1 * MeSH
• p300-CBP Transcription Factors MeSH
• Transcription Factors * MeSH
• Intrinsically Disordered Proteins * MeSH
• YAP1 protein, human MeSH Browser

Several cancer core regulatory circuitries (CRCs) depend on the sustained generation of DNA accessibility by SWI/SNF chromatin remodelers. However, the window when SWI/SNF is acutely essential in these settings has not been identified. Here we used neuroblastoma (NB) cells to model and dissect the relationship between cell-cycle progression and SWI/SNF ATPase activity. We find that SWI/SNF inactivation impairs coordinated occupancy of non-pioneer CRC members at enhancers within 1 hour, rapidly breaking their autoregulation. By precisely timing inhibitor treatment following synchronization, we show that SWI/SNF is dispensable for survival in S and G2/M, but becomes acutely essential only during G1 phase. We furthermore developed a new approach to analyze the oscillating patterns of genome-wide DNA accessibility across the cell cycle, which revealed that SWI/SNF-dependent CRC binding sites are enriched at enhancers with peak accessibility during G1 phase, where they activate genes involved in cell-cycle progression. SWI/SNF inhibition strongly impairs G1-S transition and potentiates the ability of retinoids used clinically to induce cell-cycle exit. Similar cell-cycle effects in diverse SWI/SNF-addicted settings highlight G1-S transition as a common cause of SWI/SNF dependency. Our results illustrate that deeper knowledge of the temporal patterns of enhancer-related dependencies may aid the rational targeting of addicted cancers.

Cancer cells driven by runaway transcription factor networks frequently depend on the cellular machinery that promotes DNA accessibility. For this reason, recently developed small molecules that impair SWI/SNF (or BAF) chromatin remodeling activity have been under active evaluation as anti-cancer agents. However, exactly when SWI/SNF activity is essential in dependent cancers has remained unknown. By combining live-cell imaging and genome-wide profiling in neuroblastoma cells, Cermakova et al. discover that SWI/SNF activity is needed for survival only during G1 phase of the cell cycle. The authors reveal that in several cancer settings, dependency on SWI/SNF arises from the need to reactivate factors involved in G1-S transition. Because of this role, authors find that SWI/SNF inhibition potentiates cell-cycle exit by retinoic acid.

• MeSH
• Cell Cycle MeSH
• Chromatin genetics   MeSH
• DNA MeSH
• G1 Phase * MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Neoplasms * MeSH
• Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid MeSH
• Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly MeSH
• Transcription Factors * metabolism   MeSH
• Enhancer Elements, Genetic MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Chromatin MeSH
• DNA MeSH
• SWI-SNF-B chromatin-remodeling complex MeSH Browser
• Transcription Factors * MeSH

UNLABELLED: In acute myeloid leukemia (AML), SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes sustain leukemic identity by driving high levels of MYC. Previous studies have implicated the hematopoietic transcription factor PU.1 (SPI1) as an important target of SWI/SNF inhibition, but PU.1 is widely regarded to have pioneer-like activity. As a result, many questions have remained regarding the interplay between PU.1 and SWI/SNF in AML as well as normal hematopoiesis. Here we found that PU.1 binds to most of its targets in a SWI/SNF-independent manner and recruits SWI/SNF to promote accessibility for other AML core regulatory factors, including RUNX1, LMO2, and MEIS1. SWI/SNF inhibition in AML cells reduced DNA accessibility and binding of these factors at PU.1 sites and redistributed PU.1 to promoters. Analysis of nontumor hematopoietic cells revealed that similar effects also impair PU.1-dependent B-cell and monocyte populations. Nevertheless, SWI/SNF inhibition induced profound therapeutic response in an immunocompetent AML mouse model as well as in primary human AML samples. In vivo, SWI/SNF inhibition promoted leukemic differentiation and reduced the leukemic stem cell burden in bone marrow but also induced leukopenia. These results reveal a variable therapeutic window for SWI/SNF blockade in AML and highlight important off-tumor effects of such therapies in immunocompetent settings. SIGNIFICANCE: Disruption of PU.1-directed enhancer programs upon SWI/SNF inhibition causes differentiation of AML cells and induces leukopenia of PU.1-dependent B cells and monocytes, revealing the on- and off-tumor effects of SWI/SNF blockade.

• MeSH
• Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute * drug therapy   genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Cell Differentiation MeSH
• Bone Marrow pathology   MeSH
• Leukopenia * genetics   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Mice MeSH
• Promoter Regions, Genetic MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Mice MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH

During eukaryotic transcription elongation, RNA polymerase II (RNAP2) is regulated by a chorus of factors. Here, we identified a common binary interaction module consisting of TFIIS N-terminal domains (TNDs) and natively unstructured TND-interacting motifs (TIMs). This module was conserved among the elongation machinery and linked complexes including transcription factor TFIIS, Mediator, super elongation complex, elongin, IWS1, SPT6, PP1-PNUTS phosphatase, H3K36me3 readers, and other factors. Using nuclear magnetic resonance, live-cell microscopy, and mass spectrometry, we revealed the structural basis for these interactions and found that TND-TIM sequences were necessary and sufficient to induce strong and specific colocalization in the crowded nuclear environment. Disruption of a single TIM in IWS1 induced robust changes in gene expression and RNAP2 elongation dynamics, which underscores the functional importance of TND-TIM surfaces for transcription elongation.

• MeSH
• Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing chemistry   metabolism   MeSH
• DNA-Binding Proteins chemistry   metabolism   MeSH
• Transcription Elongation, Genetic * MeSH
• Gene Expression MeSH
• Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs genetics   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Protein Interaction Maps MeSH
• Models, Molecular MeSH
• Mutation MeSH
• Cell Line, Tumor MeSH
• Protein Domains MeSH
• RNA-Binding Proteins chemistry   genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• RNA Polymerase II chemistry   metabolism   MeSH
• Transcriptional Elongation Factors chemistry   metabolism   MeSH
• Transcription Factors chemistry   genetics   metabolism   MeSH
• Protein Binding MeSH
• Intrinsically Disordered Proteins chemistry   metabolism   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing MeSH
• DNA-Binding Proteins MeSH
• Iws1 protein, human MeSH Browser
• PPP1R10 protein, human MeSH Browser
• RNA-Binding Proteins MeSH
• PSIP1 protein, human MeSH Browser
• RNA Polymerase II MeSH
• transcription factor S-II MeSH Browser
• Transcriptional Elongation Factors MeSH
• Transcription Factors MeSH
• Intrinsically Disordered Proteins MeSH