title: Backbone dynamics of a short PU.1 ETS domain.
abstract: The resonance assignments, secondary structure and backbone dynamics of the ETS domain of the transcription factor PU.1 have been determined for the free protein in solution by NMR spectroscopy. The secondary structure for the free ETS domain is similar to that observed in the crystal structure of the PU.1 protein complexed with DNA, except that helix alpha2 and recognition helix alpha3 are shorter for the free protein in solution. Backbone dynamics of the protein have been examined using amide hydrogen-deuterium exchange and (15)N laboratory-frame spin relaxation measurements. A significant probability of local unfolding of helix alpha2, which precedes the loop-helix-loop DNA recognition domain, is inferred from the very fast hydrogen-deuterium exchange for amide protons in this helix. The (15)N relaxation measurements indicate that the protein is partially oligomerized at a concentration of 2.5 mM, but monomeric at a concentration of 0.3 mM. The (15)N relaxation data for the low concentration sample were interpreted, using the model-free formalism, to provide insight into protein dynamics on picosecond-nanosecond and microsecond-millisecond time scales. High flexibility of the protein backbone is observed for the residues in the loop between alpha2 and alpha3. This loop is variable in length and in structure within the class of winged helix proteins and is partially responsible for binding to DNA. The dynamic properties observed for alpha2, alpha3 and the intervening loop may indicate a correlation between protein plasticity in particular structural elements and recognition of specific DNA sequences.
authors.affiliation: The Burnham Institute, 10901 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Light
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Assa-Munt
mesh_terms: D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D003903:Deuterium / Q000378:metabolism; D004058:Diffusion; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D019906:Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D017510:Protein Folding; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011522:Protons; D012997:Solvents; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000099232:Proto-Oncogene Protein Spi-1
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D003903:Deuterium; D006859:Hydrogen; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D011522:Protons; D012997:Solvents; D015534:Trans-Activators; D000099232:Proto-Oncogene Protein Spi-1