title: The functional significance of DNA sequence structure in a site-specific genetic recombination reaction.
abstract: A series of sequence changes in the spacer region of the FLP recombination target (FRT) site are presented which drastically reduce site function without affecting recognition by the FLP protein. The effects follow a pattern which indicates that two structural features of the FRT site are essential for site function: a pair of pyrimidine tracts arranged in a palindrome and a predominance of AT base pairs in the spacer. The FRT site represents a sequence that serves to facilitate unwinding of the DNA within the spacer region during recombination. The results provide a clear demonstration of a role for a DNA sequence element that is distinct from protein recognition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison 53706.
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Umlauf
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Cox
mesh_terms: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D001483:Base Sequence; D004254:DNA Nucleotidyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009154:Mutation; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D011485:Protein Binding; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
chemical_list: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D004254:DNA Nucleotidyltransferases; C045119:FLP recombinase