Review

Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology 7, 437-447 (June 2006) | doi:10.1038/nrm1945

Chromatin remodelling: the industrial revolution of DNA around histones

Anjanabha Saha1, Jacqueline Wittmeyer1 & Bradley R. Cairns1  About the authors

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Chromatin remodellers are specialized multi-protein machines that enable access to nucleosomal DNA by altering the structure, composition and positioning of nucleosomes. All remodellers have a catalytic ATPase subunit that is similar to known DNA-translocating motor proteins, suggesting DNA translocation as a unifying aspect of their mechanism. Here, we explore the diversity and specialization of chromatin remodellers, discuss how nucleosome modifications regulate remodeller activity and consider a model for the exposure of nucleosomal DNA that involves the use of directional DNA translocation to pump 'DNA waves' around the nucleosome.

Author affiliations

  1. Department of Oncological Sciences and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah School of Medicine, 2000 Circle of Hope, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA.

Correspondence to: Bradley R. Cairns1 Email: brad.cairns@hci.utah.edu

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