Journal: bioRxiv
Article Title: Tandem bromodomains of BRD4 cooperatively read poly-acetylated nucleosomes to enhance chromatin engagement and regulate breast cancer phenotypes
doi: 10.64898/2026.04.22.719657
Figure Lengend Snippet: Bromodomain binding pocket mutations in the BRD4-S disrupt breast cancer growth and migration phenotypes. ( A ) Cell growth assay following BRD4-S depletion and complementation with the indicated 3xFLAG-BRD4-S constructs (mean ± SEM; n≥5 independent experiments). Statistical analysis as described in Methods. ( B ) Transwell migration assay following BRD4-S depletion and complementation with the indicated 3xFLAG-BRD4-S constructs (mean ± SEM; n ≥ 3 independent experiments). Statistical significance was calculated by two-tailed t-tests (***p<0.0005, ****p<0.0001). ( C ) Western blots of endogenous BRD4-S depletion and rescue by 3xFLAG-tagged BRD4-S (1-719) constructs in doxycycline-treated MDA-MB-231 cells. Blots were probed with an antibody raised for the N-terminus of BRD4 (BRD4-S; for endogenous ∼100 kDa), M2 FLAG (FLAG), and β-actin (Actin) ( D ) Graphical illustration of putative model for BRD4-S chromatin engagement and regulation of cancer cell growth and migration (BioRender, https://BioRender.com/7dfa8yg ). This model shows multiple possible binding modes of BRD4-S on poly-acetylated nucleosomes that would be difficult to distinguish or determine in biochemical and structural studies, yet could all contribute to recruitment of regulatory complexes and transcriptional control of nearby genes including those for cancer growth and migration.
Article Snippet: Luminex nucleosome panels consisted of the following 601 147 bp DNA-biotinylated nucleosomes (all from EpiCypher): unmodified (rNuc), 16-0006; H4K12 acetylated ([H4K12ac] 2 ), 16-0312; H4 poly-acetylated ([H4K5acK8acK12acK16ac] 2 ), 16-0313; H3 poly-acetylated ([H3K4acK9acK14acK18ac] 2 ), 16-0336; H4 N-terminal tail truncated ([H4ΔN15] 2 ), 16-0018; and trypsin-digested tailless, 16-0027.
Techniques: Binding Assay, Migration, Growth Assay, Construct, Transwell Migration Assay, Two Tailed Test, Western Blot, Control