title: Chromatin-associated HMGA and HMGB proteins: versatile co-regulators of DNA-dependent processes.
abstract: High-mobility-group (HMG) proteins are small and relatively abundant chromatin-associated proteins, which act as architectural factors. In plants, two groups of chromosomal HMG proteins have been identified, namely the HMGA family, typically containing four A/T-hook DNA-binding motifs, and the HMGB family, containing a single HMG-box DNA-binding domain. The HMGA proteins are structurally flexible and bind A/T-rich DNA stretches. By orchestrating multiple protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions, they assist the formation of higher-order transcription factor complexes, regulating gene expression. The HMGB proteins bind DNA non-sequence-specifically, but specifically recognise DNA structures. Due to their remarkable DNA bending activity, they can enhance the structural flexibility of DNA, facilitating the assembly of nucleoprotein structures that control various DNA-dependent processes such as transcription and recombination.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Life Sciences, Aalborg University, Sohngaardsholmsvej 49, 9000 Aalborg, Denmark. kdg@bio.auc.dk
authors.forename: Klaus D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Grasser
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism*; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D024003:HMGA Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D024002:HMGB Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011485:Protein Binding; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D018744:DNA, Plant; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D024003:HMGA Proteins; D024002:HMGB Proteins