title: Escherichia coli mutS-encoded protein binds to mismatched DNA base pairs.
abstract: The Escherichia coli mutS gene product is involved in mismatch correction in this organism. We have purified a biologically active form of the 97,000 Mr protein to near homogeneity from an overproducing strain. Enzymatic and chemical protection ("footprinting") experiments have demonstrated that mutS-encoded protein specifically binds to DNA regions containing a single base-pair mismatch. The protein displayed variable affinity for the limited set of mismatches tested (G-T greater than G-A approximately equal to A-C greater than T-C).
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001482:Base Composition; D004260:DNA Repair; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D011485:Protein Binding; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins