The presence of two DnaA-binding sequences is required for an efficient interaction of the Escherichia coli DnaA protein with each particular weak DnaA box region.
Using an electron microscopic method for visualizing interactions of the Escherichia coli DnaA protein with weak DnaA-binding DNA sequences, we found that DnaA binds effectively to two separated weak DnaA box regions located on the same DNA fragment. As expected, no DnaA-DNA interactions were detected when both DnaA box regions were mutagenized to the sequence totally incapable of binding DnaA. However, when only one of these two regions was mutagenized, the lack of interactions between DnaA and DNA was observed not only at the scrambled DnaA box but also at the second weak DnaA box region. These results indicate that for the efficient binding of DnaA to a weak DnaA box region, the presence of at least two such DNA sequences is necessary. Our finding also suggests that binding of DnaA protein to weak DnaA box sequences may be cooperative. In addition, we found that DnaA-mediated transcription termination in vivo requires two DnaA boxes, one of them is a weak one. It seems, therefore, that some mechanisms of regulation of transcription and DNA replication by DnaA, that involve interactions of DnaA with weak DnaA boxes, may be more complicated than initially proposed.
Konopa
G
G
Department of Molecular Biology, University of Gdañsk, Poland.
Szalewska-Pałasz
A
A
Schmidt
A
A
Srutkowska
S
S
Messer
W
W
Wegrzyn
G
G
D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001665:Binding Sites; D004261:DNA Replication; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics*; D011485:Protein Binding; D013728:Terminator Regions, Genetic; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C066312:DnaA protein, Bacteria