Mutant lambda phage repressor with a specific defect in its positive control function

Mutants of the catabolite activator protein of Escherichia coli that are specifically deficient in the gene-activation function

In the presence of cyclic AMP, the catabolite activator protein (CAP) of Escherichia coli binds DNA and stimulates transcription at a number of promoters. We have examined a model of CAP bound at the gal promoter and, using directed mutagenesis, have isolated CAP mutants that are analogous to the lambda repressor positive control (pc) mutants. These CAP mutants bind DNA but are defective in stimulating transcription at the gal P1 promoter. These mutants are also altered in positive control at the lac and malT promoters, where CAP binds to sites further upstream from the transcription start site.

The abundance and in vitro DNA binding of three cellular proteins interacting with the adenovirus EIIa early promoter are not modified by the EIa gene products

Specific protein binding on the EIa-inducible adenovirus EIIa early (EIIaE) promoter was analyzed by the sensitive electrophoretic band-shift assay and by protection against DNase I digestion. Three factors were identified, and precise mapping of the cognate-binding sites revealed their correspondence to promoter elements essential for constitutive EIIaE transcription. One binds to the major upstream element located between -82 and -64 (with respect to the major EIIaE cap site), another appears to interact with sequences on either side of this region, and the last one binds to an element located further upstream. Comparison of the binding activities of the factors present in extracts from cells infected with wild-type adenovirus (adenovirus type 5) or with the EIa deletion mutant dl312 did not reveal striking differences. Not only were the general binding patterns indistinguishable, but the concentration of each of the identified factors as well as their affinity for the cognate-binding sites were unchanged. Our results suggest that the EIa-mediated activation of the EIIaE transcription complexes involves appropriate interactions between transcription factors, rather than their increased binding to DNA.

Activation of transcription by the bacteriophage 434 repressor

Bacteriophage 434 encodes a repressor that, like bacteriophage lambda repressor, both activates and represses transcription. As in the lambda chromosome, a region of the 434 chromosome, called the right operator, contains three repressor binding sites (OR1, OR2, and OR3) that mediate these effects on two adjacent promoters. We now show that a part of the 434 repressor, the amino-terminal domain, activates leftward transcription when bound to OR2. We show that 434 repressor bound to OR2 closely approaches (touches) RNA polymerase bound to the leftward promoter. Model building based on ethylation interference and other experiments suggests that in three cases, those involving lambda repressor, 434 repressor, and bacteriophage P22 repressor, and in spite of differences in detailed arrangements, transcription is activated by a contact between the repressor and the same part of RNA polymerase.

The lambda and P22 phage repressors

The lambda cI repressor and the P22 c2 repressor contain two structural domains. In both proteins, the N-terminal domains mediate operator recognition and positive control of transcription, and the C-terminal domains mediate subunit oligomerization and recognition of the recA protein. In some cases, structural, biochemical, and genetic studies implicate particular repressor side chains in these processes.

Solution NMR studies of intact lambda repressor

Using a combination of two and one-dimensional NMR spectroscopy, it is shown that in the intact bacteriophage lambda repressor, the N-terminal domain assumes the same global structure as when it remains isolated. It is further shown that the N-terminal domain is only loosely attached to the C-terminal domain in the intact repressor.

DNA-binding proteins

The structures of three proteins that regulate gene expression have been determined recently and suggest how these proteins may bind to their specific recognition sites on the DNA. One protein (Cro) is a repressor of gene expression, the second (CAP) usually stimulates gene expression, and the third (lambda repressor) can act as either a repressor or an activator. The three proteins contain a substructure consisting of two consecutive alpha helices that is virtually identical in each case. Structural and amino acid sequence comparisons suggest that this bihelical fold occurs in a number of proteins that regulate gene expression, and is an intrinsic part of the DNA-protein recognition event. The modes of repression and activation by Cro and lambda repressor are understood reasonably well, but the mode of action of CAP is still unclear.

Spacing mutations between the Escherichia coli pBAD RNA polymerase binding site and the araC (I) induction site

Mutations in the Escherichia coli promoter PBAD have been constructed which alter the spacing of the adjacent RNA polymerase and araC inducer protein binding sites. While deletion of a single base-pair or small insertions do not detectably affect araC protein binding to DNA and they do not alter the conserved sequence of the RNA polymerase binding site, stimulation of PBAD in vivo is greatly reduced. The experiments suggest that the distance or angle between the two proteins on the DNA is critical for promoter function.

Homology among DNA-binding proteins suggests use of a conserved super-secondary structure

The amino acid sequences of the repressor and cro proteins of phages lambda, 434 and P22 are homologous, especially in a region in which repressor and lambda cro have a similar alpha-helix-turn-alpha-helix secondary structure. Model-building studies indicate that this structure is important in DNA binding, and we suggest it may be a common feature of many DNa-binding proteins.