title: Binding of the universal minicircle sequence binding protein at the kinetoplast DNA replication origin.
abstract: Kinetoplast DNA, the mitochondrial DNA of trypanosomatids, is a remarkable DNA structure that contains, in the species Crithidia fasciculata, 5000 topologically linked duplex DNA minicircles. Their replication initiates at two conserved sequences, a dodecamer, known as the universal minicircle sequence (UMS), and a hexamer, which are located at the replication origins of the minicircle L and H strands, respectively. A UMS-binding protein (UMSBP) binds specifically the 12-mer UMS sequence and a 14-mer sequence that contains the conserved hexamer in their single-stranded DNA conformation. In vivo cross-linking analyses reveal the binding of UMSBP to kinetoplast DNA networks in the cell. Furthermore, UMSBP binds in vitro to native minicircle origin fragments, carrying the UMSBP recognition sequences. UMSBP binding at the replication origin induces conformational changes in the bound DNA through its folding, aggregation and condensation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, The Kuvin Center for the Study of Infectious and Tropical Diseases.
authors.forename: Itay
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Onn
authors.forename: Irit
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kapeller
authors.forename: Kawther
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Abu-Elneel
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shlomai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites / Q000235:genetics; D016831:Crithidia fasciculata / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018105:DNA, Kinetoplast / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D011485:Protein Binding; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018741:Replication Origin
chemical_list: D018105:DNA, Kinetoplast; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; C095676:universal minicircle sequence binding protein, protozoan