title: Escherichia coli DNA topoisomerase III is a site-specific DNA binding protein that binds asymmetrically to its cleavage site.
abstract: The binding of DNA topoisomerase III (Topo III) to a single-stranded DNA substrate containing a strong cleavage site has been examined. The minimal substrate requirement for Topo III-catalyzed cleavage has been determined to consist of 7 bases; 6 bases 5' to the cleavage site and only 1 base 3' to the site. Nuclease P1 protection experiments indicate that the enzyme also binds to its substrate asymmetrically, protecting approximately 12 bases 5' to the cleavage site and only 2 bases 3' to the cleavage site. A catalytically inactive mutant of Topo III shows the same protection pattern as the active polypeptide, indicating that Topo III is a site-specific binding protein as well as a topoisomerase. Consistent with this view, an oligonucleotide containing a cleavage site is a more effective inhibitor and is bound more efficiently by Topo III than an oligonucleotide without a cleavage site.
authors.affiliation: Molecular and Cell Biology Program, University of Maryland at Baltimore 21201, USA.
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Malpure
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: DiGate
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D004264:DNA Topoisomerases, Type I / Q000378:metabolism*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004278:DNA, Superhelical / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D008954:Models, Biological; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D004278:DNA, Superhelical; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D004264:DNA Topoisomerases, Type I