The SWI/SNF complex is involved in the activation of transcription via the remodeling of nucleosome structure in an ATP-dependent manner. Brm (also designated SNF1 or SNF2?) and Brg-1 (also designated SNF2 or SNF2?) are the ATPase subunits of the mammalian SWI/SNF complex. Brm, Brg-1, Ini1 (integrase interactor 1, also designated SNF5), BAF155 (also designated SRG3) and BAF170 are thought to comprise the functional core of the SWI/SNF complex. In higher eukaryotes, BAF57 is also a critical component of the SWI/ SNF complex. BAF57 contains a high-mobility-group (HMG) domain adjacent to a kinesin-like region and is a DNA-binding subunit of the SWI/SNF complex. The human BAF57 gene maps within the q12-25 region of chromosome 17, a gene-rich area implicated in breast and ovarian cancers.