Regulation of gene expression at a distance: the hypothetical role of regulatory protein-mediated topological changes of DNA.
A theoretical model is presented that a regulatory protein may activate the transcription of a promoter by interacting with a single remote operator. In response to an inducer molecule the regulatory protein bound to the operator undergoes a conformational change, and might mediate a B to Z-DNA conversion of the operator. This transition would remove both helical turns and supercoils from the intervening region between the operator and the promoter, resulting in the correct spatial arrangement of the -10 and -35 hexamers of the promoter, which therefore can be efficiently transcribed.
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Plant Molecular Genetics Laboratory, AgResearch, Grasslands Research Centre, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
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D016960:Agrobacterium tumefaciens / Q000235:genetics; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009875:Operator Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000235:genetics
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; C093725:NocP protein, Agrobacterium tumefaciens; D012097:Repressor Proteins; C073534:nocR protein, Agrobacterium; D004247:DNA