title: Tau protein binds single-stranded DNA sequence specifically--the proof obtained in vitro with non-equilibrium capillary electrophoresis of equilibrium mixtures.
abstract: Tau is a microtubule-associated protein, which plays an important role in physiology and pathology of neurons. Tau has been recently reported to bind double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) but not to bind single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) [Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 2003, 60, 413-421]. Here, we prove that tau binds not only dsDNA but also ssDNA. This finding was facilitated by using two kinetic capillary electrophoresis methods: (i) non-equilibrium capillary electrophoresis of equilibrium mixtures (NECEEM); (ii) affinity-mediated NECEEM. Using the new approach, we observed, for the first time, that tau could induce dissociation of strands in dsDNA by binding one of them in a sequence-specific fashion. Moreover, we determined the equilibrium dissociation constants for all tau-DNA complexes studied.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, York University, Toronto, Ont., Canada M3J 1P3.
authors.forename: Svetlana M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Krylova
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Musheev
authors.forename: Razvan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nutiu
authors.forename: Yingfu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sergey N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Krylov
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019075:Electrophoresis, Capillary; D004926:Escherichia coli; D011485:Protein Binding; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D013816:Thermodynamics; D016875:tau Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D016875:tau Proteins