Exploring DNA-binding proteins with in vivo chemical cross-linking and mass spectrometry.
DNA-binding proteins are very important constituents of proteomes of all species and play crucial roles in transcription, DNA replication, recombination, repair, and other activities associated with DNA. Although a number of DNA-binding proteins have been identified, many proteins involved in gene regulation and DNA repair are likely still unknown because of their dynamic and/or weak interactions with DNA. In this report, we described an approach for the comprehensive identification of DNA-binding proteins with in vivo formaldehyde cross-linking and LC-MS/MS. DNA-binding proteins could be purified via the isolation of DNA-protein complexes and released from the complexes by reversing the cross-linking. By using this method, we were able to identify more than one hundred DNA-binding proteins, such as proteins involved in transcription, gene regulation, DNA replication and repair, and a large number of proteins that are potentially associated with DNA and DNA-binding proteins. This method should be generally applicable to the investigation of other nucleic acid-binding proteins, and hold great potential in the comprehensive study of gene regulation, DNA damage response and repair, as well as many other critical biological processes at proteomic level.
Qin
Haibo
H
Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92521-0403, USA.
Wang
Yinsheng
Y
D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000737:chemistry*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D020543:Proteome / Q000378:metabolism*; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry
D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D020543:Proteome; D005557:Formaldehyde