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Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay in Aspergillus fumigatus
Vijendra Arya1, Sanjoy Paul1, W Scott Moye-Rowley2
1Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|April 12, 2026
Summary
Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) detects DNA-binding proteins. This study details EMSA
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) is a standard technique for identifying direct DNA-binding interactions.
- It relies on the altered migration of protein-DNA complexes during gel electrophoresis.
- EMSA is widely applicable across diverse organisms, from bacteria to humans.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the application of EMSA for detecting DNA-binding proteins.
- To focus on the use of EMSA with the AtrR transcription factor from Aspergillus fumigatus.
Main Methods:
- Utilizes gel electrophoresis to separate protein:DNA complexes from free DNA.
- Exploits the difference in electrophoretic mobility between bound and unbound DNA.
- Describes a rapid and straightforward protocol for DNA-binding analysis.
Main Results:
- Demonstrates the effectiveness of EMSA in detecting sequence-specific DNA-binding.
- Successfully applied EMSA to study the AtrR transcription factor.
Conclusions:
- EMSA is a versatile and effective method for studying transcription factor DNA interactions.
- The described approach facilitates the identification of DNA target elements.
