title: The methyl-CpG binding transcriptional repressor MeCP2 stably associates with nucleosomal DNA.
abstract: We have investigated the interactions of the methyl-CpG binding transcriptional repressor MeCP2 with nucleosomal DNA. We find that MeCP2 forms discrete complexes with nucleosomal DNA associating with methyl-CpGs exposed in the major groove via the methyl-CpG-binding domain (MBD). In addition to the MBD, the carboxyl-terminal segment of MeCP2 facilitates binding both to naked DNA and to the nucleosome core. These observations provide a molecular mechanism by which MeCP2 can gain access to chromatin in order to target corepressor complexes that further modify chromatin structure.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Embryology, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-5431, USA.
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Chandler
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Guschin
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Landsberger
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Wolffe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D018899:CpG Islands / Q000235:genetics*; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D018983:DNA Footprinting; D019175:DNA Methylation; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I; D007887:Fabaceae; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000235:genetics; D006868:Hydrolysis; D051783:Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein 2; D008836:Micrococcal Nuclease / Q000378:metabolism; D009707:Nucleosomes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D011485:Protein Binding; D012341:RNA, Ribosomal, 5S / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D017384:Sequence Deletion; D014981:Xenopus; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D051783:Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein 2; D009707:Nucleosomes; D010940:Plant Proteins; D012341:RNA, Ribosomal, 5S; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; C048826:phaseolin protein, Phaseolus vulgaris; D004247:DNA; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I; D008836:Micrococcal Nuclease