Androgen receptor (AR) belongs to the nuclear receptor superfamily that are ligand dependent transcription factors. This protein binds to steroid hormones such as dihydrotestosterone, to specific DNA sequences as well as to a number of co-regulatory factors. A number of these interactions involve the N-terminal domain (NTD), that is predicted to be intrinsically disordered. In order to provide functional information about possible cross-talk mechanisms between the AR NTD and its DNA binding domain (DBD), we have undertaken the NMR study of a fragment of human AR encompassing the last 37 residues of the NTD and the DBD (NTD-DBD518-627). The backbone (1)H, (15)N, (13)C NMR resonance assignments of this fragment indicate the presence of residual helical secondary structure within the AR NTD.
Keywords: Androgen receptor; DNA binding domain; Nuclear receptor.