title: Universal minicircle sequence binding protein, a CCHC-type zinc finger protein that binds the universal minicircle sequence of trypanosomatids. Purification and characterization.
abstract: Replication of kinetoplast DNA minicircles of trypanosomatids initiates at a conserved 12-nucleotide sequence, termed the universal minicircle sequence (UMS, 5'-GGGGTTGGTGTA-3'). A single-stranded nucleic acid binding protein that binds specifically to this origin-associated sequence was purified to apparent homogeneity from Crithidia fasciculata cell extracts. This UMS-binding protein (UMSBP) is a dimer of 27.4 kDa with a 13.7-kDa protomer. UMSBP binds single-stranded DNA as well as single-stranded RNA but not double-stranded or four-stranded DNA structures. Stoichiometry analysis indicates the binding of UMSBP as a protein dimer to the UMS site. The five CCHC-type zinc finger motifs of UMSBP, predicted from its cDNA sequence, are similar to the CCHC motifs found in retroviral Gag polyproteins. The remarkable conservation of this motif in a family of proteins found in eukaryotic organisms from yeast and protozoa to mammals is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Hebrew University, Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tzfati
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abeliovich
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Avrahami
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shlomai
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D016831:Crithidia fasciculata / Q000378:metabolism*; D018105:DNA, Kinetoplast / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011485:Protein Binding; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D016335:Zinc Fingers
chemical_list: D018105:DNA, Kinetoplast; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; C095676:universal minicircle sequence binding protein, protozoan; D012313:RNA