The SNF/SWI family of global transcriptional activators.

The yeast SNF/SWI proteins have a global role in transcriptional activation. This set of five proteins assists many gene-specific activators, most likely by altering chromatin structure to relieve repression. Recent work shows that the SNF/SWI proteins function together in a multiprotein complex and that SNF2 has DNA-dependent ATPase activity. SNF/SWI homologs have now been identified in Drosophila, mice and humans, suggesting a conserved role in transcriptional activation.