title: A new model for Schizosaccharomyces pombe telomere recognition: the telomeric single-stranded DNA-binding activity of Pot11-389.
abstract: The protection of telomeres 1 (Pot1) proteins specifically recognize the single-stranded 3' end of the telomere, an activity essential for sustained cellular viability and proliferation. The current model for the telomeric single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) binding activity of Schizosaccharomyces pombe Pot1 is based on a 20 kDa fragment, Pot1pN. Recent biochemical studies suggest that SpPot1 contains a larger ssDNA-binding domain and we have identified a novel ssDNA-binding domain similar in size to the human Pot1 domain. This domain, Pot1(1-389), binds extremely tightly to an oligonucleotide consisting of two conserved hexameric S. pombe telomere repeats, d(GGTTACGGTTAC), with an affinity approximately 4000-fold tighter than Pot1pN binds its cognate ssDNA. The Pot1(1-389)/ssDNA complex exhibits a half-life of 53 min, consistent with that estimated for full-length SpPot1 and significantly longer than that of Pot1pN. Single nucleotide substitutions reveal that, in contrast to Pot1pN, tandem trinucleotide repeats (GTT) within d(GGTTACGGTTAC) are specifically recognized by Pot1(1-389). Interestingly, certain single nucleotide substitutions that impacted Pot1pN binding exhibited no effect on binding affinity by Pot1(1-389). However, these substitutions reduced binding affinity when simultaneously substituted in each hexameric repeat. The non-additive nature of these substitutions suggests that certain nucleotides are coupled through the ability of the flexible ssDNA oligonucleotide to adopt alternate, thermodynamically equivalent conformations. The biochemical behavior of Pot1(1-389) is more similar to that of the full-length SpPot1 protein than to that of Pot1pN, making Pot1(1-389) a valuable domain for the future study of how full-length SpPot1 interacts with telomeric ssDNA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, 80309-0215, USA.
authors.forename: Johnny E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Croy
authors.forename: Elaine R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Podell
authors.forename: Deborah S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Wuttke
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008957:Models, Genetic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000235:genetics; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary / Q000235:genetics; D012568:Schizosaccharomyces / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D029702:Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000089804:Shelterin Complex; D016615:Telomere / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D034501:Telomere-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D029702:Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins; D000089804:Shelterin Complex; D034501:Telomere-Binding Proteins; C499082:pot1 protein, S pombe