BCL7A-containing SWI/SNF/BAF complexes modulate mitochondrial bioenergetics during neural progenitor differentiation.

Mammalian SWI/SNF/BAF chromatin remodeling complexes influence cell lineage determination. While the contribution of mammalian SWI/SNF/BAF complexes in neural progenitor cell (NPC) proliferation and differentiation has been reported, little is known about the transcriptional profiles that determine neurogenesis or gliogenesis. Here we report that BCL7A is a modulator of the SWI/SNF/BAF complex and stimulates the genome-wide occupancy of the ATPase BRG1. We demonstrate that BCL7A is dispensable for SWI/SNF/BAF complex integrity, whereas it is essential to regulate Notch/Wnt pathway and mitochondrial bioenergetics in differentiating NPCs. Together, our findings uncover the unique mechanistic contribution of BCL7A-containing SWI/SNF/BAF complex in mitochondria-driven NPC commitment, thereby providing a better understanding of the cell-intrinsic transcriptional processes that connect metabolism, neuronal morphogenesis and cognitive flexibility. Chromatin immunoprecipitation DNA-sequencing (ChIP-seq) for H3K27me3 in mouse and iPSC-derived BCL7A KO NPCs