title: Unrestraining genetic processes with a protein-DNA hinge.
abstract: Genetic processes require direct interactions between proteins bound at nonadjacent cis elements. Because duplex DNA is rigid, either the protein-protein interactions are strong enough to deform the double helix or some feature of the intervening DNA must encourage juxtaposition of separated sites. For example, bent DNA can bring together only certain precisely positioned cis elements with the same helical phase. Interposing a DNA segment that both bends and twists easily to create a universal joint would provide an even more general mechanism to promote the association of separated sites regardless of position. A cis element of the human c-myc gene, known to be melted in vivo, and its associated single-strand DNA binding protein were examined and found to comprise just such a protein-DNA hinge.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pathology, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tomonaga
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Michelotti
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Libutti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Uy
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sauer
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Levens
mesh_terms: D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D006367:HeLa Cells; D034441:Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoproteins; D006801:Humans; D019426:Integrases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000235:genetics; D011995:Recombination, Genetic / Q000502:physiology*; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D016385:TATA Box / Q000235:genetics; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000502:physiology*; D014764:Viral Proteins
chemical_list: D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D005656:Fungal Proteins; C070633:Gal-VP16; D034441:Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoproteins; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014764:Viral Proteins; C045073:Cre recombinase; D019426:Integrases