Sequence specific collective motions in a winged helix DNA binding domain detected by 15N relaxation NMR

The recognition between transcription factors and their DNA binding sites is a highly dynamic process. During transcriptional regulation, transcription factors must bind to or dissociate from their cognate DNA binding sites. The winged helix DNA binding motif is one of many highly conserved DNA binding motifs identified in transcription factors. Backbone dynamics has been studied on the 15N- and 2H-enriched winged helix family member Genesis. Our data show that the overall motions of the single domain Genesis are better described by more than two autocorrelation times (taum). Our data also demonstrate that Genesis shows structure specific conformation exchange characterized by Rex. Therefore, our results indicate that the structure of Genesis is highly dynamic and that secondary structure elements in Genesis have collective motions in the nanosecond to millisecond time scale. Since the winged helix DNA binding motif is highly conserved, this unique dynamic property observed in Genesis is also likely to be conserved in other winged helix family members and important in DNA binding.