title: A protein structural motif that bends DNA.
abstract: The prokaryotic protein HU, integration host factor (IHF) from Escherichia coli, and transcription factor 1 (TF1) from bacteriophage SPO1 are closely related molecules. Biochemical results suggest that the role of these proteins is to bind and bend DNA. From the high-resolution structure of HU, we propose a model for this interaction with DNA. Crucial amino acid differences between the proteins can be rationalized in terms of their different specific functions.
authors.affiliation: Biology Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973.
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Appelt
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tanaka
mesh_terms: D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D001435:Bacteriophages / Q000378:metabolism; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism; D034982:Integration Host Factors; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D011485:Protein Binding; D011487:Protein Conformation; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D014764:Viral Proteins; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D034982:Integration Host Factors; C059361:TF1 DNA-binding protein, Bacteriophage SPO1; D014764:Viral Proteins; C040330:histone-like protein HU, bacteria; D004247:DNA