title: Sequence-specific recognition of a repetitive DNA element by a C2H2 zinc-finger protein in Xenopus.
abstract: XFG 20-1 is one of several hundred C2H2-type zinc finger proteins of unknown biological function in Xenopus. Affinity selection of genomic DNA fragments identifies a 54-bp consensus sequence with high affinity for the XFG 20-1 protein. This sequence is part of a conserved inverted repeat in REM-1, a 0.5-kb repetitive, dispersed genomic DNA element. This finding indicates a possible link between the non-conserved nature of a large subgroup of DNA-binding C2H2 zinc finger proteins and the non-conserved nature of putative genomic target sequences. The 19 zinc finger modules of XFG 20-1 are organized in three structurally distinct groups. Of these, only the first and third ones are required and are sufficient for high-affinity DNA binding. The finding that removal of five internal zinc finger units does not alter the DNase I protection pattern of the complex formed is indicative of a high degree of structural flexibility for linear arrays of zinc fingers, which we imagine to adopt a more rigid structure only upon interaction with their nucleic acid partner molecules.
authors.affiliation: Otto-Warburg-Laboratorium, Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Genetik, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schäfer
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Rausch
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bouwmeester
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pieler
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D015342:DNA Probes; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D014982:Xenopus laevis; D016335:Zinc Fingers
chemical_list: D015342:DNA Probes; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D004247:DNA; D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I