The_study_of_dpf2_in_mouse_ES_cells

Brg-or Brm-associated factor (BAF) complexes, is a 12 subunit complex which contains an ATPase subunit, Brg or Brm, that uses energy derived from ATP hydrolysis to disrupt histone:DNA contacts to catalyze transcriptional events such as promoting gene expression or repression. Genetic studies in mice demonstrated that BAF complexes are essential for early embryonic development and pluripotency. ES cells express distinctive compleses, termed esBAF complexes by the presence of BAF155, Brg, BAF60a. Purification of Brg and Brm-associated proteins reveals a new family of four stoichiometric subunits of mSWI/SNF or BAF complexes which was termed BAF45a, b, c, and d. The progenitors to both neurons and glia are maintained in a proliferative state by a specified SWI/SNF-like npBAF complex that contains both BAF45a and BAF53a. The transition from proliferative to neurogenic divisions requires the exchange of these subunites for the homologous BAF45b or BAF45c and BAF53b proteins. The function of BAF45d remwains unclear so far. At present, we found that the knockout of dpf2 in ES cells impared the differention of ES cells to the three lineages. We will identify the target genes of dpf2 by Chip-seq so that we could study how dpf2 affect the differentiation of ES cells into germ layers.