title: A TAL effector repeat architecture for frameshift binding.
abstract: Transcription activator-like effectors (TALEs) are important Xanthomonas virulence factors that bind DNA via a unique tandem 34-amino-acid repeat domain to induce expression of plant genes. So far, TALE repeats are described to bind as a consecutive array to a consecutive DNA sequence, in which each repeat independently recognizes a single DNA base. This modular protein architecture enables the design of any desired DNA-binding specificity for biotechnology applications. Here we report that natural TALE repeats of unusual amino-acid sequence length break the strict one repeat-to-one base pair binding mode and introduce a local flexibility to TALE-DNA binding. This flexibility allows TALEs and TALE nucleases to recognize target sequence variants with single nucleotide deletions. The flexibility also allows TALEs to activate transcription at allelic promoters that otherwise confer resistance to the host plant.
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Genetics, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Weinbergweg 10, D-06120 Halle (Saale), Germany [2].
authors.forename: Annekatrin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Genetics, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Weinbergweg 10, D-06120 Halle (Saale), Germany [2].
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Streubel
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Weinbergweg 10, D-06120 Halle (Saale), Germany.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Blücher
authors.affiliation: UMR 186 IRD-UM2-Cirad 'Résistance des Plantes aux Bioagresseurs', BP 64501, 34394 Montpellier cedex 5, France.
authors.forename: Boris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Szurek
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Weinbergweg 10, D-06120 Halle (Saale), Germany.
authors.forename: Maik
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reschke
authors.affiliation: Institute of Computer Science, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, von-Seckendorff-Platz 1, D-06120 Halle (Saale), Germany.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grau
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Weinbergweg 10, D-06120 Halle (Saale), Germany.
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Boch
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites / Q000235:genetics; D015153:Blotting, Western; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D060467:Disease Resistance / Q000235:genetics; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D012275:Oryza / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D011485:Protein Binding; D020449:Repetitive Sequences, Amino Acid / Q000235:genetics; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014974:Xanthomonas / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D018744:DNA, Plant; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D037521:Virulence Factors