The mechanism and regulation of chromatin remodeling by ISWI family enzymes

Eukaryotic genomes are packaged as chromatin, which restricts access to the DNA by critical processes such as DNA replication, repair, and transcription. As a result, eukaryotic cells rely on ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling enzymes (remodelers) to alter the position, structure, and composition of nucleosomes. Understanding the mechanism and regulation of remodeling requires detailed information about transient intermediates of the remodeling process--a challenge ideally suited for single-molecule approaches. In particular, we use single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (smFRET) to measure nanometer-scale distance changes between strategically placed donor and acceptor dyes to monitor nucleosome translocation in real-time.