Bromodomain adjacent to zinc finger domain protein 2A (BAZ2A)

Essential component of the NoRC (nucleolar remodeling complex) complex, a complex that mediates silencing of a portion of rDNA by recruiting histone-modifying enzymes and DNA methyltransferases, leading to heterochromatin formation and transcriptional silencing. In the complex, it plays a central role by being recruited to rDNA and by targeting chromatin modifying enzymes like HDAC1, leading to repress RNA polymerase I transcription.

Recruited to rDNA via its interaction with TTF1 and its ability to recognize and bind histone H4 acetylated on'Lys- 16' (H4K16ac), leading to deacetylation of H4K5ac, H4K8ac, H4K12ac but not H4K16ac. Specifically binds pRNAs, 150-250 nucleotide RNAs that are complementary in sequence to the rDNA promoter; pRNA- binding is required for heterochromatin formation and rDNA silencing (By similarity).