title: Structure of an Ebf1:DNA complex reveals unusual DNA recognition and structural homology with Rel proteins.
abstract: Early B-cell factor 1 (Ebf1) is a key transcriptional determinant of B-lymphocyte differentiation whose DNA-binding domain has no sequence similarity to other transcription factor families. Here we report the crystal structure of an Ebf1 dimer bound to its palindromic recognition site. The DNA-binding domain adopts a pseudoimmunoglobulin-like fold with novel topology, but is structurally similar to the Rel homology domains of NFAT and NF-κB. Ebf1 contacts the DNA with two loop-based modules and a unique Zn coordination motif whereby each Ebf1 monomer interacts with both palindromic half-sites. This unusual mode of DNA recognition generates an extended contact area that may be crucial for the function of Ebf1 in chromatin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology, 79108 Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Nora
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Treiber
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Treiber
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zocher
authors.forename: Rudolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grosschedl
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites / Q000187:drug effects; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D051379:Mice; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D011485:Protein Binding; D017510:Protein Folding; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D020569:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-rel / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015032:Zinc / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C489921:Ebf1 protein, mouse; D020569:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-rel; D015534:Trans-Activators; D004247:DNA; D015032:Zinc