Stafford RL, Arndt HD, Brezinski ML, Ansari AZ, Dervan PB. Minimization of a protein-DNA dimerizer.
J Am Chem Soc 2007;
129:2660-8. [PMID:
17290996 PMCID:
PMC3064071 DOI:
10.1021/ja067971k]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
A protein-DNA dimerizer constructed from a DNA-binding polyamide and the peptide FYPWMKG facilitates the binding of a natural transcription factor Exd to an adjacent DNA site. The Exd binding domain can be reduced to a dipeptide WM attached to the polyamide through an epsilon-aminohexanoic acid linker with retention of protein-DNA dimerizer activity. Screening a library of analogues indicated that the tryptophan indole moiety is more important than methionine's side chain or the N-terminal acetamide. Remarkably, switching the stereochemistry of the tryptophan residue (l to d) stabilizes the dimerizer*Exd*DNA ternary complex at 37 degrees C. These observations provide design principles for artificial transcription factors that may function in concert with the cellular regulatory circuitry.
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