Measuring Hox-DNA binding by electrophoretic mobility shift analysis

Using competition assays to quantitatively model cooperative binding by transcription factors and other ligands

BACKGROUND

The affinities of DNA binding proteins for target sites can be used to model the regulation of gene expression. These proteins can bind to DNA cooperatively, strongly impacting their affinity and specificity. However, current methods for measuring cooperativity do not provide the means to accurately predict binding behavior over a wide range of concentrations.

METHODS

We use standard computational and mathematical methods, and develop novel methods as described in Results.

RESULTS

We explore some complexities of cooperative binding, and develop an improved method for relating in vitro measurements to in vivo function, based on ternary complex formation. We derive expressions for the equilibria among the various complexes, and explore the limitations of binding experiments that model the system using a single parameter. We describe how to use single-ligand binding and ternary complex formation in tandem to determine parameters that have thermodynamic relevance. We develop an improved method for finding both single-ligand dissociation constants and concentrations simultaneously. We show how the cooperativity factor can be found when only one of the single-ligand dissociation constants can be measured.

CONCLUSIONS

The methods that we develop constitute an optimized approach to accurately model cooperative binding.

GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE

The expressions and methods we develop for modeling and analyzing DNA binding and cooperativity are applicable to most cases where multiple ligands bind to distinct sites on a common substrate. The parameters determined using these methods can be fed into models of higher-order cooperativity to increase their predictive power.

Artificial zinc finger DNA binding domains: versatile tools for genome engineering and modulation of gene expression

Genome editing and alteration of gene expression by synthetic DNA binding activities gained a lot of momentum over the last decade. This is due to the development of new DNA binding molecules with enhanced binding specificity. The most commonly used DNA binding modules are zinc fingers (ZFs), TALE-domains, and the RNA component of the CRISPR/Cas9 system. These binding modules are fused or linked to either nucleases that cut the DNA and induce DNA repair processes, or to protein domains that activate or repress transcription of genes close to the targeted site in the genome. This review focuses on the structure, design, and applications of ZF DNA binding domains (ZFDBDs). ZFDBDs are relatively small and have been shown to penetrate the cell membrane without additional tags suggesting that they could be delivered to cells without a DNA or RNA intermediate. Advanced algorithms that are based on extensive knowledge of the mode of ZF/DNA interactions are used to design the amino acid composition of ZFDBDs so that they bind to unique sites in the genome. Off-target binding has been a concern for all synthetic DNA binding molecules. Thus, increasing the specificity and affinity of ZFDBDs will have a significant impact on their use in analytical or therapeutic settings.

A genetic biosensor for identification of transcriptional repressors of target promoters

Transcriptional repressors provide widespread biological significance in the regulation of gene expression. However, in prokaryotes, it is particularly difficult to find transcriptional repressors that recognize specific target promoters on genome-scale. To address this need, a genetic biosensor for identifying repressors of target promoters was developed in Escherichia coli from a de novo designed genetic circuit. This circuit can convert the negative input of repressors into positive output of reporters, thereby facilitating the selection and identification of repressors. After evaluating the sensitivity and bias, the biosensor was used to identify the repressors of scbA and aco promoters (PscbA and Paco), which control the transcription of signalling molecule synthase genes in Streptomyces coelicolor and Streptomyces avermitilis, respectively. Two previously unknown repressors of PscbA were identified from a library of TetR family regulators in S. coelicolor, and three novel repressors of Paco were identified from a genomic library of S. avermitilis. Further in vivo and in vitro experiments confirmed that these newly identified repressors attenuated the transcription of their target promoters by direct binding. Overall, the genetic biosensor developed here presents an innovative and powerful strategy that could be applied for identifying genome-wide unknown repressors of promoters in bacteria.