Purification and DNA-binding properties of FIS and Cin, two proteins required for the bacteriophage P1 site-specific recombination system, cin
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 5, 2026

Preparation of the Mgm101 Recombination Protein by MBP-based Tagging Strategy
Published on: June 25, 2013
1Department of Microbiology, University of Basel, Switzerland.
Abstract:
An Escherichia coli chromosomally coded factor termed FIS (Factor for Inversion Stimulation) stimulates the Cin protein-mediated, site-specific DNA inversion system of bacteriophage P1 more than 500-fold. We have purified FIS and the recombinase Cin, and studied the inversion reaction in vitro. DNA footprinting studies with DNase I showed that Cin specifically binds to the recombination site, called cix. FIS does not bind to cix sites but does bind to a recombinational enhancer sequence that is required in cis for efficient recombination. FIS also binds specifically to sequences outside the enhancer, as well as to sequences unrelated to Cin inversion. On the basis of these data, we discuss the possibility of additional functions for FIS in E. coli.
Related Concept Videos
DNA Topoisomerases
Types and Mechanism of action
Topoisomerases are divided into two main types. Type I...
Conservative Site-specific Recombination and Phase Variation
The recognition sites for Cre recombinase called LoxP...
CRISPR and crRNAs
The CRISPR-Cas system stores a copy of foreign DNA in the host genome and uses it to identify the foreign DNA upon reinfection. CRISPR-Cas has three different...
Single-Strand DNA Binding Proteins
Restriction Enzymes
The host bacteria protect their own genomic DNA from these enzymes by methylating these sites. Some...
DNA Bacteriophages

