Barrier activity has been linked to the disruption of specific processes in the heterochromatin formation pathway. These types of insulators modify the nucleosomal substrate in the reaction cycle that is central to heterochromatin formation. Modifications are achieved through various mechanisms including nucleosome removal, in which nucleosome-excluding elements disrupt heterochromatin from spreading and silencing (chromatin-mediated silencing). Modification can also be done through recruitment of histone acetyltransferase(s) and ATP-dependent nucleosome remodelling complexes.