Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 20, 2026

Analysis of AtHIRD11 Intrinsic Disorder and Binding Towards Metal Ions by Capillary Gel Electrophoresis and Affinity Capillary Electrophoresis
Published on: August 22, 2018
DNA-binding properties of ARID family proteins
Antonia Patsialou1, Deborah Wilsker, Elizabeth Moran
1Fels Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Biology, Temple University School of Medicine Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA.
Abstract:
The ARID (A-T Rich Interaction Domain) is a helix-turn-helix motif-based DNA-binding domain, conserved in all eukaryotes and diagnostic of a family that includes 15 distinct human proteins with important roles in development, tissue-specific gene expression and proliferation control. The 15 human ARID family proteins can be divided into seven subfamilies based on the degree of sequence identity between individual members. Most ARID family members have not been characterized with respect to their DNA-binding behavior, but it is already apparent that not all ARIDs conform to the pattern of binding AT-rich sequences. To understand better the divergent characteristics of the ARID proteins, we undertook a survey of DNA-binding properties across the entire ARID family. The results indicate that the majority of ARID subfamilies (i.e. five out of seven) bind DNA without obvious sequence preference. DNA-binding affinity also varies somewhat between subfamilies. Site-specific mutagenesis does not support suggestions made from structure analysis that specific amino acids in Loop 2 or Helix 5 are the main determinants of sequence specificity. Most probably, this is determined by multiple interacting differences across the entire ARID structure.
Related Concept Videos
Conserved Binding Sites
Binding sites are often located in large pockets, and if their location on a protein’s surface is unknown, it can be predicted using various approaches. The energetic method computationally analyses the...
Conserved Binding Sites
Binding sites are often located in large pockets, and if their location on a protein’s surface is unknown, it can be predicted using various approaches. The energetic method computationally analyses the...
Conservation of Protein Domains Over Different Proteins
A limited set of protein domains often duplicate and recombine during evolution. These domains can be organized in different combinations to form...
Diversity of Archaea III
Single-Strand DNA Binding Proteins
Cooperative Binding of Transcription Regulators
