Regulation of ISWI-family of chromatin remodelling Complexes

The packaging of DNA into chromatin facilitates the storage of the genetic information within the nucleus but prevents the access to the underlying sequences. The evolutionarily conserved ISWI family of ATP-dependent chromatin remodelling complexes provide one of the regulatory mechanisms that eukaryotic cells have evolved to induce structural changes to chromatin. All ISWI-containing complexes use the energy derived from ATP hydrolysis in order to rearrange nucleosomes on chromatin to carry specific nuclear reactions. The combination of associated proteins with the ATPase subunit as well as specific histone modifications specialize the nuclear function of each ISWI-containing complex. Here we review the many way through which ISWI enzymatic activity can be modulated and regulated in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells.