Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 8, 2026
07:02
An Assay for Quantifying Protein-RNA Binding in Bacteria
Published on: June 12, 2019
The TGGCA-binding protein: a eukaryotic nuclear protein recognizing a symmetrical sequence on double-stranded linear
Nucleic Acids Research
|May 25, 1984
Summary
Researchers identified a DNA binding protein in chicken oviduct nuclei that recognizes specific DNA sequences near the chicken lysozyme gene. This protein
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
- Biochemistry
Background:
- The chicken lysozyme gene is a well-studied model for gene regulation.
- Understanding DNA-protein interactions is crucial for deciphering gene expression control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and characterize DNA binding proteins that interact with regulatory regions of the chicken lysozyme gene.
- To determine the specific DNA sequences recognized by these proteins.
Main Methods:
- Extraction of nuclear proteins from chicken oviduct.
- DNA binding assays to identify protein-DNA interactions.
- DNase I footprinting to map protein binding sites.
- Sequence analysis to deduce consensus binding motifs.
Main Results:
- A DNA binding protein with high affinity for specific sequences flanking the chicken lysozyme gene was identified.
- Two binding sites were located close to each other, 92 bp apart, within 11 kb upstream of the promoter.
- A symmetrical consensus sequence (5'- TGGCANNNTGCCA -3') was deduced as the protein recognition site.
- The protein protected a 23-25 bp region from DNase I digestion.
- Homologous binding activity was found in various chicken tissues and mouse liver nuclei.
Conclusions:
- A specific DNA binding protein recognizes a conserved sequence motif in the regulatory region of the chicken lysozyme gene.
- This protein-binding motif may play a role in the regulation of lysozyme gene expression.
- The presence of homologous binding activity in different tissues suggests a potentially widespread role for this type of DNA-protein interaction.
Related Concept Videos
02:02Cis-regulatory Sequences
Cis-regulatory sequences are short fragments of non-coding DNA that are present on the same chromosomes as the genes that they regulate. These fragments serve as binding sites for transcriptional regulators, proteins that are responsible for controlling gene transcription and differential gene expression across cell types in eukaryotes. Cis-regulatory sequences can be close to the gene of interest or thousands of bases away in the DNA sequence; however, those sequences that are further away are...
02:13Cooperative Binding of Transcription Regulators
Transcriptional regulators bind to specific cis-regulatory sequences in the DNA to regulate gene transcription. These cis-regulatory sequences are very short, usually less than ten nucleotide pairs in length. The short length means that there is a high probability of the exact same sequence randomly occurring throughout the genome. Since regulators can also bind to groups of similar sequences, this further increases the chances of random binding. Transcriptional regulators form dimers that...
01:19Allosteric Proteins-ATCase
Binding sites linkages can regulate a protein's function. For example, enzyme activity is often regulated through a feedback mechanism where the end product of the biochemical process serves as an inhibitor.
Aspartate transcarbamoylase (ATCase) is a cytosolic enzyme that catalyzes the condensation of L-aspartate and carbamoyl phosphate to N-carbamoyl-L-aspartate. This reaction is the first step in pyrimidine biosynthesis. UTP and CTP, the end products of the pyrimidine synthesis pathway,...
Aspartate transcarbamoylase (ATCase) is a cytosolic enzyme that catalyzes the condensation of L-aspartate and carbamoyl phosphate to N-carbamoyl-L-aspartate. This reaction is the first step in pyrimidine biosynthesis. UTP and CTP, the end products of the pyrimidine synthesis pathway,...
01:03Single-Strand DNA Binding Proteins
For successful DNA replication, the unwinding of double-stranded DNA must be accompanied by stabilization and protection of the separated single strands of the DNA. This crucial task is performed by single-strand DNA-binding (SSB) proteins. They bind to the DNA in a sequence-independent manner, which means that the nitrogenous bases of the DNA need not be present in a specific order for binding of SSB proteins to it. The binding of SSB proteins straightens single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) and makes...
02:13Cooperative Binding of Transcription Regulators
Transcriptional regulators bind to specific cis-regulatory sequences in the DNA to regulate gene transcription. These cis-regulatory sequences are very short, usually less than ten nucleotide pairs in length. The short length means that there is a high probability of the exact same sequence randomly occurring throughout the genome. Since regulators can also bind to groups of similar sequences, this further increases the chances of random binding. Transcriptional regulators form dimers that...
01:16TGF - β Signaling Pathway
The TGF-β signaling pathway regulates cell growth, differentiation, adhesion, motility, and development. TGF-β ligands that induce TGF-β signaling are synthesized in their latent form. Several proteases or cell surface receptors such as integrins act upon the latent form, releasing the active ligand. There are three types of mammalian TGF-βs: (TGF-β1, TGF-β2, and TGF-β3) that bind as homodimers or heterodimers to TGF-β receptors. The TGF-β receptors are of three kinds RI, RII, and RIII. The RI...