The ISWI chromatin remodeler organizes the hsrω ncRNA-containing omega speckle nuclear compartments.

The complexity in composition and function of the eukaryotic nucleus is achieved through its organization in specialized nuclear compartments. The Drosophila chromatin remodeling ATPase ISWI plays evolutionarily conserved roles in chromatin organization. Interestingly, ISWI genetically interacts with the hsrω gene, encoding multiple non-coding RNAs (ncRNA) essential, among other functions, for the assembly and organization of the omega speckles. The nucleoplasmic omega speckles play important functions in RNA metabolism, in normal and stressed cells, by regulating availability of hnRNPs and some other RNA processing proteins. Chromatin remodelers, as well as nuclear speckles and their associated ncRNAs, are emerging as important components of gene regulatory networks, although their functional connections have remained poorly defined. Here we provide multiple lines of evidence showing that the hsrω ncRNA interacts in vivo and in vitro with ISWI, regulating its ATPase activity. Remarkably, we found that the organization of nucleoplasmic omega speckles depends on ISWI function. Our findings highlight a novel role for chromatin remodelers in organization of nucleoplasmic compartments, providing the first example of interaction between an ATP-dependent chromatin remodeler and a large ncRNA.

Chromatin remodeling regulation by small molecules and metabolites.

The eukaryotic genome is a highly organized nucleoprotein structure comprising of DNA, histones, non-histone proteins, and RNAs, referred to as chromatin. The chromatin exists as a dynamic entity, shuttling between the open and closed forms at specific nuclear regions and loci based on the requirement of the cell. This dynamicity is essential for the various DNA-templated phenomena like transcription, replication, and repair and is achieved through the activity of ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complexes and covalent modifiers of chromatin. A growing body of data indicates that chromatin enzymatic activities are finely and specifically regulated by a variety of small molecules derived from the intermediary metabolism. This review tries to summarize the work conducted in many laboratories and on different model organisms showing how ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complexes are regulated by small molecules and metabolites such as adenosine triphosphate (ATP), acetyl coenzyme A (AcCoA), S-adenosyl methionine (SAM), nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), and inositol polyphosphates (IPs).

The nucleosome remodeling factor ISWI functionally interacts with an evolutionarily conserved network of cellular factors.

ISWI is an evolutionarily conserved ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling factor playing central roles in DNA replication, RNA transcription, and chromosome organization. The variety of biological functions dependent on ISWI suggests that its activity could be highly regulated. Our group has previously isolated and characterized new cellular activities that positively regulate ISWI in Drosophila melanogaster. To identify factors that antagonize ISWI activity we developed a novel in vivo eye-based assay to screen for genetic suppressors of ISWI. Our screen revealed that ISWI interacts with an evolutionarily conserved network of cellular and nuclear factors that escaped previous genetic and biochemical analyses.