We identify the helicase-SANT-associated (HSA) domain as the primary binding platform for nuclear actin-related proteins (ARPs) and actin. Individual HSA domains from chromatin remodelers (RSC, yeast SWI-SNF, human SWI-SNF, SWR1 and INO80) or modifiers (NuA4) reconstitute their respective ARP-ARP or ARP-actin modules. In RSC, the HSA domain resides on the catalytic ATPase subunit Sth1. The Sth1 HSA is essential in vivo, and its omission causes the specific loss of ARPs and a moderate reduction in ATPase activity. Genetic selections for arp suppressors yielded specific gain-of-function mutations in two new domains in Sth1, the post-HSA domain and protrusion 1, which are essential for RSC function in vivo but not ARP association. Taken together, we define the role of the HSA domain and provide evidence for a regulatory relationship involving the ARP-HSA module and two new functional domains conserved in remodeler ATPases that contain ARPs.Transcriptional regulation involves the concerted action of chromatin regulators, transcription factors and the basal transcription machinery. The two general types of chromatin regulators are chromatin remodelers, which reposition and restructure nucleosomes 1 , and chromatin modifiers, which add or remove covalent marks from the histone proteins 2 . These chromatin regulatory complexes work together to mark and move nucleosomes, which can either help silence or activate transcription, depending on the context. Remodelers bear a catalytic ATPase subunit required for ATP-dependent nucleosome repositioning 1,3,4 , whereas modifier complexes bear one or more subunits with histone-modification potential 2,5,6 . However, in both cases, most of the subunits of chromatin regulatory complexes are nonenzymatic. These attendant subunits are specialized for diverse tasks: targeting the complex to particular nucleosomes, enabling complex association with particular DNA binding proteins or other complexes, or helping to regulate enzymatic activity.Intriguingly, actin and ARPs are among the associated subunits of certain chromatinremodeling and chromatin-modifying complexes 7-9 . ARPs have been studied extensively in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which contains ten ARPs 10 . Four ARPs (ARPs

The coordination of chromatin remodeling with chromatin modification is a central topic in gene regulation. The yeast chromatin remodeling complex RSC bears multiple bromodomains, motifs for acetyl-lysine and histone tail interaction. Here, we identify and characterize Rsc4 and show that it bears tandem essential bromodomains. Conditional rsc4 bromodomain mutations were isolated, and were lethal in combination with gcn5Delta, whereas combinations with esa1 grew well. Replacements involving Lys14 of histone H3 (the main target of Gcn5), but not other H3 or H4 lysine residues, also conferred severe growth defects to rsc4 mutant strains. Importantly, wild-type Rsc4 bound an H3 tail peptide acetylated at Lys14, whereas a bromodomain mutant derivative did not. Loss of particular histone deacetylases suppressed rsc4 bromodomain mutations, suggesting that Rsc4 promotes gene activation. Furthermore, rsc4 mutants displayed defects in the activation of genes involved in nicotinic acid biosynthesis, cell wall integrity, and other pathways. Taken together, Rsc4 bears essential tandem bromodomains that rely on H3 Lys14 acetylation to assist RSC complex for gene activation.