BAF, BAF_HUMAN, BANF 1, BANF1, Barrier to autointegration factor 1, Barrier to autointegration factor, Barrier-to-autointegration factor, BCRG 1, BCRG1, BCRP 1, BCRP1, Breakpoint cluster region protein 1, D14S1460, MGC111161.
Barrier-to-autointegration factor (BAF) binds non-specifically to double stranded DNA, possibly to play a role in tissue- or cell type-specific gene expression by interacting with different homeodomain transcription factors. BAF compresses chromatin structure and interacts with the LEM domain of nuclear proteins to play a crucial role in membrane recruitment and chromatin decondensation during nuclear assembly. Additionally, retroviruses like HIV-1 incorporate BAF from host cells into preintegration complexes (PICs) to prevent autointegration of retroviral DNA and thereby promote integration of retroviral DNA into the host chromosome.
