These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: Supercoiling-dependent site-specific binding of HU to naked Mu DNA.
    Author: Kobryn K, Lavoie BD, Chaconas G.
    Journal: J Mol Biol; 1999 Jun 18; 289(4):777-84. PubMed ID: 10369760.
    Abstract:
    Using HU chemical nucleases to probe HU-DNA interactions, we report here for the first time site-specific binding of HU to naked DNA. An unique feature of this interaction is the absolute requirement for negative DNA supercoiling for detectable levels of site-specific DNA binding. The HU binding site is the Mu spacer between the L1 and L2 transposase binding sites. Our results suggest recognition of an altered DNA structure which is induced by DNA supercoiling. We propose that recruitment of HU to this naked DNA site induces the DNA bending required for productive synapsis and transpososome assembly. Implications of HU as a supercoiling sensor with a potential in vivo regulatory role are discussed. Finally, using HU nucleases we have also shown that non-specific DNA binding by HU is stimulated by increasing levels of supercoiling.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]