title: A putative DNA-binding domain in the NUCKS protein.
abstract: We have studied the DNA-binding properties of a NUCKS-derived, synthetic peptide containing an extended GRP motif. This peptide binds to random-sequence DNA, but did not bind preferentially to poly(dA-dT). A synthetic peptide with the same amino acid composition but with a random sequence did not bind to DNA, suggesting that the structure of the DNA-binding domain plays a pivotal role in the interaction with DNA. NMR and graphic modeling were employed to investigate the structure of the synthetic peptide. It was shown that the DNA-binding peptide constituted an alpha helix in phosphate buffer at pH 5.5. Docking results indicated an almost perfect fit for this small, helical peptide into the major groove of DNA with the possibility of four basic residues interacting with the phosphate backbone of DNA. One consensus site for phosphorylation by Cdk1 is located in the N-terminal end of the DNA-binding peptide. Upon phosphorylation of this site, the binding to DNA was completely prohibited. Immunofluorescence experiments showed that NUCKS was located in the nuclei in proliferating cells in interphase of the cell cycle, but was distributed throughout the cytoplasm in mitotic cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biochemistry, University of Oslo, Box 1115 Blindern, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Grundt
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Skjeldal
authors.forename: Henrik W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Anthonsen
authors.forename: Tormod
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Skauge
authors.forename: Henrik S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Huitfeldt
authors.forename: Anne Carine
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Østvold
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000737:chemistry; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D007399:Interphase; D008938:Mitosis; D008958:Models, Molecular; D019906:Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011485:Protein Binding; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C426654:NUCKS1 protein, human; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D010455:Peptides; D010750:Phosphoproteins