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The DNA-binding domain of the gene regulatory protein AreA extends beyond the minimal zinc-finger region conserved between GATA proteins

The DNA-binding domain of the gene regulatory protein AreA extends beyond the minimal zinc-finger region conserved between GATA proteins
The DNA-binding domain of the gene regulatory protein AreA extends beyond the minimal zinc-finger region conserved between GATA proteins
The AreA protein of Aspergillus nidulans regulates the activity of over 100 genes involved in the utilisation of nitrogen, and has a limited region of homology with the vertebrate family of GATA proteins around a zinc finger (Zf) motif. A 66 amino acid (a.a.) residue fragment (Zf66) corresponding to the zinc finger, a 91 a.a fragment (Zf91) containing an additional 25 a.a. at the C-terminus, and a much larger 728 a.a. sequence (3?EX) corresponding to the 3?exon have been over-expressed as fusion proteins in E. coli and purified. The DNA-protein complexes formed by these proteins have been examined by gel retardation analysis. The 91 a.a. protein forms a discrete shifted species with a GATA-containing DNA fragment with high affinity (Kd=0.15 nM), whereas the 66 a.a. protein has very low (??M) affinity for the same sequence. The results show that the region of AreA required for high affinity DNA binding extends beyond the zinc finger motif that is homologous to GATA-1, requiring in addition a region within the 25 a.a. sequence C-terminal to the zinc finger. Using hydroxyl radical and ethylation interference footprinting, the minimal Zinc finger protein (Zf66) shows no appreciable interference effects whereas Zf91 shows much stronger interference effects, identical to those of the larger protein. These effects extend over sequences up to two nucleotides either side of the GATA site, and indicate contacts additional to those observed in the three-dimensional structure of the complex of the minimal zinc-finger protein with DNA. We suggest that these additional contacts are responsible for the enhanced DNA binding affinity of the extended zinc-finger protein Zf91.
AreA, DNA footprinting, GATA protein, Nitrogen metabolite repression, Zinc finger, Aspergillus nidulans
0167-4781
325-332
Manfield, I.W.
f234a5f4-038e-4812-afc4-362a1b6cfca9
Reynolds, L.A.
ecd92d8c-298e-4fc5-a923-9a5fbd6b467a
Gittins, J.
c4d269cc-aae0-4182-bc81-78dc724f7d95
Kneale, G.G.
5942b32e-f877-4efa-b39f-66f09a79f911
Manfield, I.W.
f234a5f4-038e-4812-afc4-362a1b6cfca9
Reynolds, L.A.
ecd92d8c-298e-4fc5-a923-9a5fbd6b467a
Gittins, J.
c4d269cc-aae0-4182-bc81-78dc724f7d95
Kneale, G.G.
5942b32e-f877-4efa-b39f-66f09a79f911

Manfield, I.W., Reynolds, L.A., Gittins, J. and Kneale, G.G. (2000) The DNA-binding domain of the gene regulatory protein AreA extends beyond the minimal zinc-finger region conserved between GATA proteins. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Gene Structure and Expression, 1493 (3), 325-332. (doi:10.1016/S0167-4781(00)00197-4).

Record type: Article

Abstract

The AreA protein of Aspergillus nidulans regulates the activity of over 100 genes involved in the utilisation of nitrogen, and has a limited region of homology with the vertebrate family of GATA proteins around a zinc finger (Zf) motif. A 66 amino acid (a.a.) residue fragment (Zf66) corresponding to the zinc finger, a 91 a.a fragment (Zf91) containing an additional 25 a.a. at the C-terminus, and a much larger 728 a.a. sequence (3?EX) corresponding to the 3?exon have been over-expressed as fusion proteins in E. coli and purified. The DNA-protein complexes formed by these proteins have been examined by gel retardation analysis. The 91 a.a. protein forms a discrete shifted species with a GATA-containing DNA fragment with high affinity (Kd=0.15 nM), whereas the 66 a.a. protein has very low (??M) affinity for the same sequence. The results show that the region of AreA required for high affinity DNA binding extends beyond the zinc finger motif that is homologous to GATA-1, requiring in addition a region within the 25 a.a. sequence C-terminal to the zinc finger. Using hydroxyl radical and ethylation interference footprinting, the minimal Zinc finger protein (Zf66) shows no appreciable interference effects whereas Zf91 shows much stronger interference effects, identical to those of the larger protein. These effects extend over sequences up to two nucleotides either side of the GATA site, and indicate contacts additional to those observed in the three-dimensional structure of the complex of the minimal zinc-finger protein with DNA. We suggest that these additional contacts are responsible for the enhanced DNA binding affinity of the extended zinc-finger protein Zf91.

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More information

Published date: 2 October 2000
Keywords: AreA, DNA footprinting, GATA protein, Nitrogen metabolite repression, Zinc finger, Aspergillus nidulans
Organisations: Ocean and Earth Science

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 380350
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/380350
ISSN: 0167-4781
PURE UUID: fbcf3624-e54d-4708-ab85-dd3b4fd43bb2

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Date deposited: 12 Aug 2015 15:42
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 20:58

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Contributors

Author: I.W. Manfield
Author: L.A. Reynolds
Author: J. Gittins
Author: G.G. Kneale

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