title: CTCF terminal segments are unstructured.
abstract: The human CCCTC-binding factor, CTCF, organizes and regulates transcription of the genome by colocalizing distant DNA elements on the same and even different chromosomes. This protein consists of 11 zinc fingers flanked by polypeptide segments of unknown structure and function. We purified recombinant terminal fragments and observed that both are extended, monomeric, and predominantly consist of unordered content. We thus speculate that the role of the terminal extensions, and perhaps all of CTCF, is to act as a scaffold for the assembly of other proteins on a specific binding site.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, USA.
authors.forename: Selena R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.forename: Jj L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Miranda
mesh_terms: D001665:Binding Sites; D000076246:CCCTC-Binding Factor; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016335:Zinc Fingers
chemical_list: D000076246:CCCTC-Binding Factor; C000619697:CTCF protein, human; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins