Bcl7b and Bcl7c subunits of BAF chromatin remodeling complexes are largely dispensable for hematopoiesis

Abstract

Chromatin remodelers have emerged as prominent regulators of hematopoietic cell development and potential drivers of various human hematological malignancies. ATP-dependent BAF chromatin remodeling complexes, related to yeast SWI/SNF, determine gene expression programs and consequently contribute to the self-renewal, commitment, and lineage-specific differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and progenitors. Here, we investigated the elusive biological function of the core Bcl7b and Bcl7c subunits of BAF complexes in hematopoietic tissue. Our analysis of mouse constitutive knockout alleles revealed that both Bcl7b and Bcl7c are dispensable for animal survival and steady-state adult hematopoiesis. Bcl7b and Bcl7c double knockout (dKO) mice can maintain long-term hematopoiesis with no observable effect on the HSC compartment. Moreover, we show that Bcl7b/Bcl7c dKO HSCs are capable of normal multilineage hematopoietic reconstitution after competitive serial transplantation. Collectively, these studies suggest that the Bcl7b and Bcl7c subunits of BAF complexes are dispensable for normal hematopoiesis.