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PMID: 1356765 Published · ppublish English Comparative Study Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Differential DNA sequence recognition is a determinant of specificity in homeotic gene action.

The EMBO journal ·Vol. 11 ·No. 11 ·1992-11-00 ·Pages 4059-72

Ekker SC, von Kessler DP, Beachy PA

Abstract

The homeotic genes of Drosophila encode transcriptional regulatory proteins that specify distinct segment identities. Previous studies have implicated the homeodomain as a major determinant of biological specificity within these proteins, but have not established the physical basis of this specificity. We show here that the homeodomains encoded by the Ultrabithorax and Deformed homeotic genes bind optimally to distinct DNA sequences and have mapped the determinants responsible for differential recognition. We further show that relative transactivation by these two proteins in a simple in vivo system can differ by nearly two orders of magnitude. Such differences in DNA sequence recognition and target activation provide a biochemical basis for at least part of the biological specificity of homeotic gene action.

Related Genes
Dfd Ubx ftz
MeSH Terms
Amino Acid Sequence Animals Base Sequence Binding Sites DNA/genetics,metabolism DNA-Binding Proteins/genetics,metabolism Drosophila/genetics Drosophila Proteins Genes, Homeobox Homeodomain Proteins Kinetics Molecular Sequence Data Oligodeoxyribonucleotides Protein Conformation Recombinant Fusion Proteins/metabolism Sequence Homology, Amino Acid Substrate Specificity Transcription Factors/genetics,metabolism Transcription, Genetic Transcriptional Activation beta-Galactosidase/genetics,metabolism
Chemicals
DNA-Binding Proteins Drosophila Proteins Homeodomain Proteins Oligodeoxyribonucleotides Recombinant Fusion Proteins Transcription Factors Ubx protein, Drosophila DNA beta-Galactosidase
Authors & Affiliations
3 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Ekker S C
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205.
von Kessler D P
Beachy P A
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Article Info
Journal
The EMBO journal
Abbr.
EMBO J
ISSN
0261-4189
Published
1992-11-00
Pages
4059-72
Language
English
Region
England
NLM ID
8208664
PMCID
PMC556916
Subset
IM
External Links
PubMed source PMC Full Text View journal details
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