title: Modulation of transcription factor Ets-1 DNA binding: DNA-induced unfolding of an alpha helix.
abstract: Conformational changes, including local protein folding, play important roles in protein-DNA interactions. Here, studies of the transcription factor Ets-1 provided evidence that local protein unfolding also can accompany DNA binding. Circular dichroism and partial proteolysis showed that the secondary structure of the Ets-1 DNA-binding domain is unchanged in the presence of DNA. In contrast, DNA allosterically induced the unfolding of an alpha helix that lies within a flanking region involved in the negative regulation of DNA binding. These findings suggest a structural basis for the intramolecular inhibition of DNA binding and a mechanism for the cooperative partnerships that are common features of many eukaryotic transcription factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncological Sciences, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City 84132, USA.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Skalicky
authors.forename: L W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Donaldson
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: McIntosh
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Alber
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Graves
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D002942:Circular Dichroism; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011485:Protein Binding; D011487:Protein Conformation; D017510:Protein Folding; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D050784:Proto-Oncogene Protein c-ets-1; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D050783:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ets; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D050784:Proto-Oncogene Protein c-ets-1; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D050783:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ets; D014157:Transcription Factors; D004247:DNA