Alteration of BRG1- or BRM-associated factors (BAFs), components of SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex, affects preimplantation porcine embryo development

Mammalian embryos undergo a dramatic amount of epigenetic remodeling during the first week of development to establish the correct epigenetic status to support the developmental program. SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes are multi-subunits complexes and utilize energy from ATP hydrolysis to modify chromatin structure non-covalently. The collection of subunits determines the identity of a given SWI/SNF chromatin-remodeling complex, directs its activity, and dictate where that complex will act. The aims of this study were to 1) determine the requirement of SNF5, a SWI/SNF core subunit found in BAF and PBAF complexes during preimplantation porcine embryo development, 2) determine the requirement of BRD7, a PBAF complex-specific subunit during preimplantation porcine embryo development, and 3) investigate the role of CDH1, a downstream gene regulated by ARID1A, another subunit found exclusively in BAF complexes, in cleavage stage porcine embryos. Our results indicate that the differential requirement for each subunit during early embryo development. Depletion of different subunits results in embryo arrest at distinct developmental stage. Together, our data suggest the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes are necessary for proper porcine embryo development and this requirement is associated with the composition of the complex.