title: DNA binding and bending properties of the post-meiotically expressed Sry-related protein Sox-5.
abstract: Sox-5 is one of a family of genes which show homology to the HMG box region of the testis determining gene SRY. We have used indirect immunofluorescence to show that Sox-5 protein is localized to the nucleus of post-meiotic round spermatids in the mouse testis. In vitro footprinting and gel retardation assays demonstrate that Sox-5 binds specifically to the sequence AACAAT with moderately high affinity (Kd of approximately 10(-9) M). Moreover, interaction of Sox-5 with its target DNA induces a significant bend in the DNA, characteristic of HMG box proteins. Circular dichroism spectroscopy of the Sox-5 HMG box and its specific complex with DNA shows an alteration in the DNA spectrum, perhaps as a consequence of DNA bending, but none in the protein spectrum on complex formation. The dependence of the change in the CD spectrum with protein to DNA ratio demonstrates the formation of a 1:1 complex. Analysis of the structure of the Sox-5 HMG box by 2D NMR suggests that both the location of helical secondary structure as well as the tertiary structure is similar to that of HMG1 box 2.
authors.affiliation: CRC Centre for Cell and Molecular Biology, Chester Beatty Laboratories, Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Connor
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Cary
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Read
authors.forename: N S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Preston
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Driscoll
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Denny
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Crane-Robinson
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ashworth
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000737:chemistry; D002942:Circular Dichroism; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006609:High Mobility Group Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation / Q000187:drug effects*; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D055755:SOXD Transcription Factors; D013087:Spermatids / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013737:Testis / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D006609:High Mobility Group Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D055755:SOXD Transcription Factors; C089186:Sox5 protein, mouse; D004247:DNA