Structures during binding of cAMP receptor to promoter DNA: promoter search slowed by non-specific sites

Two-step interrogation then recognition of DNA binding site by Integration Host Factor: an architectural DNA-bending protein

The dynamics and mechanism of how site-specific DNA-bending proteins initially interrogate potential binding sites prior to recognition have remained elusive for most systems. Here we present these dynamics for Integration Host factor (IHF), a nucleoid-associated architectural protein, using a μs-resolved T-jump approach. Our studies show two distinct DNA-bending steps during site recognition by IHF. While the faster (∼100 μs) step is unaffected by changes in DNA or protein sequence that alter affinity by >100-fold, the slower (1–10 ms) step is accelerated ∼5-fold when mismatches are introduced at DNA sites that are sharply kinked in the specific complex. The amplitudes of the fast phase increase when the specific complex is destabilized and decrease with increasing [salt], which increases specificity. Taken together, these results indicate that the fast phase is non-specific DNA bending while the slow phase, which responds only to changes in DNA flexibility at the kink sites, is specific DNA kinking during site recognition. Notably, the timescales for the fast phase overlap with one-dimensional diffusion times measured for several proteins on DNA, suggesting that these dynamics reflect partial DNA bending during interrogation of potential binding sites by IHF as it scans DNA.

Electro-optical analysis of macromolecular structure and dynamics

Electro-optical effects are induced by external electric field pulses applied to solutions or suspensions and are recorded by various optical techniques. These effects are very useful for the characterization of macromolecular structures and their dynamics in solution. One of the field-induced effects is alignment of molecular dipoles, which can be detected at a very high sensitivity by measurements of the dichroism or the birefringence. Stationary values of these optical parameters recorded at different electric field strengths can be used to characterize dipole moments and to determine the orientation of chromophores with respect to the dipole vector. The transients reflect rotational diffusion, providing a particularly accurate measure of size and shape. The internal flexibility is also reflected in these transients. Another type of field-induced effect is chemical relaxation, which can be detected selectively and is very useful for the characterization of reactions, like ligand binding and conformation changes. The techniques based on electric field effects are unique in the sense that problems can be solved, which are difficult or even impossible to be sorted out by other techniques.