GFI1 tethers the NuRD complex to open and transcriptionally active chromatin in myeloid progenitors

GFI is a DNA binding transcriptional repressor that regulates myeloid differentiation. Here, we show that GFI1 interacts with the chromodomain helicase CHD4 and other components of the nucleosome remodeling and deacetylase (NuRD) complex. Our data demonstrated that GFI1 and GFI1/CHD4 complexes occupy sites of open chromatin enriched for histone marks associated with active transcription or different sets of genes that are either enriched for IRF1 or SPI-1 consensus binding sites. In addition, our study provided evidence that GFI1 affects the chromatin remodeling activity of the NuRD complex. Overall, our results indicate that GFI1/CHD4 complexes control chromatin openness and histone modifications differentially to regulate target genes, which govern the immune response, nucleosome organization, or metabolic processes.