Quantitative modeling of DNA-protein interactions: effects of amino acid substitutions on binding specificity of the Mnt repressor

Nucleic Acids Res. 2004 Aug 2;32(13):4026-32. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkh729. Print 2004.

Abstract

Understanding DNA-protein recognition quantitatively is essential to developing computational algorithms for accurate transcriptional binding site prediction. Using a quantitative, multiple fluorescence, relative affinity (QuMFRA) assay, we determine the binding specificity of 11 different position 6 variants of the Mnt repressor for operators containing all 16 possible dinucleotides at operator positions 16 and 17. We show that the wild-type and all variant proteins interact with the two positions in a non-independent manner, but that a simple independent model provides a close approximation to the true binding affinities. The wild-type His at amino acid 6 is the only protein to prefer the AC sequence of the wild-type operator, whereas most of the variant proteins prefer TA. H6R is unique in having a strong preference for C at position 16. A comparison of the quantitative binding data for all of the protein variants with a model for recognition of the early growth response (EGR) zinc finger family suggests that interactions of Mnt with positions 16 and 17 are similar to interactions of EGR with positions 1 and 2, respectively. This information leads to an augmented model for the interaction of Mnt with its operator.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Substitution
  • Binding Sites
  • DNA / chemistry
  • DNA / metabolism
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / chemistry*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Models, Genetic*
  • Operator Regions, Genetic*
  • Repressor Proteins / chemistry*
  • Repressor Proteins / genetics
  • Repressor Proteins / metabolism
  • Viral Proteins / chemistry*
  • Viral Proteins / genetics
  • Viral Proteins / metabolism
  • Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Repressor Proteins
  • Viral Proteins
  • Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins
  • phage repressor proteins
  • DNA