Effect of non-contacted bases on the affinity of 434 operator for 434 repressor and Cro

The repressor of phage 434 binds to six operator sites on the phage chromosome. A comparison of the sequences of these 14-base-pair (bp) operator sites reveals a striking pattern: at five of the six sites, the symmetrically arrayed outer eight base pairs (four in each half-site) are identical and the remaining site differs at only one position (Fig. 1b). In contrast, the sequences of the inner four base pairs are highly variable. Crystallographic analysis of the repressor-operator complex shows that at each half-site, the 'recognition alpha-helix' of the repressor is positioned in the major groove such that it could contact the outermost five base pairs, but not the innermost two (Fig. 1a). We show in this paper that the sequence of the central base pairs of the operator (two in each half-site) have a significant role in determining operator affinity for repressor, despite the evidence presented here and in the accompanying paper that these base pairs are not contacted by repressor. We also show that these central base pairs influence operator affinity for Cro, a second gene regulatory protein encoded by phage 434. We discuss the likely structural basis for this evidently indirect, but sequence-dependent, effect of the central base pairs of the operator on its affinity for the two regulatory proteins.     

DNA twisting and the effects of non-contacted bases on affinity of 434 operator for 434 repressor.

The bacteriophage 434 repressor regulates gene expression by binding with differing affinities to the six operator sites on the phage chromosome. The symmetrically arrayed outer eight base pairs (four in each half-site) of these 14-base-pair operators are highly conserved but the middle four bases are divergent. Although these four base pairs are not in contact with repressor, operators with A.T or T.A base pairs at these positions bind repressor more strongly than those bearing C.G or G.C, suggesting that these bases are important for the repressor's ability to discriminate between operators. There is evidence that the central base pairs influence operator function by constraining the twisting and/or bending of DNA. Here we show that there is a relationship between the intrinsic twist of an operator, as determined by the sequence of its central bases, and its affinity for repressor; an operator with a lower affinity is undertwisted relative to an operator with higher affinity. In complex with repressor, the twist of both high- and low-affinity operators is the same. These results indicate that the intrinsic twist of DNA and its twisting flexibility both affect the affinity of 434 operator for repressor.     

Structure of a phage 434 Cro/DNA complex

Comparison of the crystal structure of a complex of the phage 434 Cro protein and a synthetic DNA operator with the complex of the same operator and the 434 repressor DNA-binding domain shows different DNA conformations in the two structures. Binding of the protein determines the precise conformation of the DNA in each case.     

A new-specificity mutant of 434 repressor that defines an amino acid-base pair contact

The repressor encoded by bacteriophage 434 binds to its operators by inserting a 'recognition' alpha-helix into the major groove of the DNA. We have identified an amino acid-base pair contact that determines (in part) the DNA-binding specificity of 434 repressor. The identification is based on the properties of a 'new-specificity' mutant, named Repressor [Ala 28], which bears the substitution of Ala for Gln at the first residue of its recognition alpha-helix. Repressor [Ala 28] binds with high affinity to a particular doubly mutant operator bearing the same substitution at position 1 in each half-site, but does not bind to either the wild-type operator or to other mutant operators. We describe molecular models of residue 28-base pair 1 interactions that account for the binding specificities of both the mutant and wild-type proteins.     

Ethylation interference and X-ray crystallography identify similar interactions between 434 repressor and operator

In the crystal structure of a repressor-operator complex (the 434 repressor DNA-binding domain and its 14-base pair (bp) operator), Anderson et al. elsewhere in this issue identify six positions of likely contact between repressor protein and phosphates of the DNA backbone. At each of these positions, electron densities of protein and DNA merge. Experiments presented here indicate that intact 434 repressor approaches these phosphates very closely when it is bound to DNA in solution. Specifically, when any one of these phosphates is ethylated, repressor cannot bind to the modified operator. We also identify another position where ethylation has a significant but less dramatic effect on repressor binding, and note that in the structure, repressor closely approaches this phosphate. Our results strongly support the idea that the interactions between protein and the DNA phosphate backbone in the crystallized complex are the same as those made by intact repressor to operator DNA in solution. In addition, our results suggest that DNA is slightly bent by repressor binding.     

E. coli recA protein-directed cleavage of phage lambda repressor requires polynucleotide

The recA protein mediates both genetic recombination and several cellular responses to DNA damage, including the induction of temperate bacteriophage. Indication of phage lambda results from proteolytic cleavage of lambda repressor directed by recA protein. We show here that this cleavage reaction requires both polynucleotide and ATP. We suggest that a stoichiometric complex of recA protein and DNA is active both to destroy repressors by proteolytic cleavage and to initiate pairing of this DNA to its homologous sequence in a DNA duplex ('strand invasion').     

大肠杆菌噬菌体的分离鉴定及生物学特性分析

利用野生型大肠杆菌MG1655为宿主菌,从下水道污水中分离得到一株噬菌体,编号为Phage 1.其噬菌斑大小为3～4mm,透射电镜观察发现该噬菌体有正多面体头部和弯曲尾部,属于长尾科噬菌体.对该噬菌体的生物学特性包括最佳感染复数、一步生长曲线、温度、氯仿、pH进行检测,结果显示该噬菌体的潜伏期为10min,繁殖周期为20min,对温度、氯仿以及pH耐受性良好.经基因组测序鉴定,该噬菌体为E.coli T1噬菌体.     

Structure of the repressor-operator complex of bacteriophage 434

The crystal structure of a specific complex between the DNA-binding domain of phage 434 repressor and a synthetic 434 operator DNA shows interactions that determine sequence-dependent affinity. The repressor recognizes its operators by its complementarity to a particular DNA conformation as well as by direct interaction with base pairs in the major groove.     

Isolation by phage display and characterization of a single-chain antibody specific for O6-methyldeoxyguanosine

New approaches of making single chain Fv antibodies against O⁶-methyl-2′-deoxyguanosine (O⁶MdG) have been demonstrated by using the phage antibody display system. Using O⁶MdG as an antigen, 21 positive clones were identified by ELISA from this library, one of which, designated H3, specifically binds to O⁶MdG with high affinity. The H3 scFv antibody has an affinity constant (K_aff) of 5.94×10O¹¹(mol/L)^-1. H3 scFv has been successfully used to detect O⁶MdG in DNA hydrolyses from yeast or E. coli cells treated with a DNA methylating agent. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the selection of a specific scFv against DNA adducts. The results demonstrate the potential applications of the phage display technology for the detection of DNA lesions caused by mutagens and carcinogens.     

重组质粒p434crohis的构建与表达

根据噬菌体４３４ｃｒｏ的基因序列,合成了一对在Ｃｒｏ的Ｃ－末端含有６个Ｈｉｓ密码子的寡核苷酸（６９ｂｐ）,并在其两端设计了ＰｓｔＩ和ＫａｓＩ两个酶切位点。经粘合、退火后将双股寡核苷酸链分别插入ｐ４３４ｃｒｏ（３．３５ｋｂ）质粒的４３８位（ＰｓｔＩ切点）和６３８位（ＫａｓＩ切点）,构建成含４３４ｃｒｏｈｉｓ基因的重组质粒。其表达产物为Ｃ端含有６个Ｈｉｓ的阻遏蛋白４３４ｃｒｏｈｉｓ。经功能测定表明融合蛋白４３４ｃｒｏｈｉｓ仍具有调节ＤＮＡ转录功能,并用金属亲和层析鉴定了表达产物