DNA topology influences p53 sequence-specific DNA binding through structural transitions within the target sites

Časopis: BIOCHEMICAL JOURNAL 412, 57-63
Autoři: Jagelska, EB., Brazda, V., Pecinka, P., Palecek, E., Fojta, M.
Rok: 2008

Abstrakt

The tumour suppressor protein p53 is one of the most important factors regulating cell proliferation, differentiation and programmed cell death in response to a variety of cellular stress signals. P53 is a nuclear phosphoprotein and its biochemical function is closely associated with its ability to bind DNA in a sequence-specific manner and operate as a transcription factor. Using a competition assay, we investigated the effect of DNA topology on the DNA binding of human wild-type p53 protein. We prepared sets of topoisomers of plasmid DNA with and without p53 target sequences, differing in their internal symmetry. Binding of p53 to DNA increased with increasing negative superhelix density (- sigma). At -sigma = 0.05 correlates with the extra enhancement of p53-DNA binding.