Altering DNA-binding specificity of GAL4 requires sequences adjacent to the zinc finger.
Many eukaryotic proteins involved in transcriptional regulation contain within their DNA-binding domains a polypeptide loop (the zinc finger) which interacts with DNA. In proteins possessing multiple zinc fingers, including TFIIIA, Sp1, SWI5 and oestrogen/glucocorticoid receptors, the region containing the zinc fingers confers DNA-binding specificity. By contrast, our results demonstrate that all but one of the 28 amino acids encompassing the single zinc-finger region of GAL4, the yeast transcriptional activator, can be replaced with the analogous zinc-finger region from another yeast-activator protein, PPR1, without changing the DNA-binding specificity of GAL4. A 14-amino-acid region adjacent to the zinc finger is necessary for determining specific recognition of DNA sequences.
Corton
J C
JC
Department of Botany, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27706.
Johnston
S A
SA
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D008667:Metalloproteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D015032:Zinc / Q000378:metabolism*
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D008667:Metalloproteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D015032:Zinc