Structure‐specific binding of the proto‐oncogene protein DEK to DNA

T Waldmann, M Baack, N Richter… - Nucleic acids …, 2003 - academic.oup.com
T Waldmann, M Baack, N Richter, C Gruss
Nucleic acids research, 2003academic.oup.com
The ubiquitous proto‐oncogene protein DEK has been found to be associated with
chromatin during the entire cell cycle. It changes the topology of DNA in chromatin and
protein‐free DNA through the introduction of positive supercoils. The sequence and
structure specificities of DEK–DNA interactions are not completely understood. The binding
of DEK to DNA is not sequence specific, but we describe here that DEK has a clear
preference for supercoiled and four‐way junction DNA. In the presence of topoisomerase II …
Abstract
The ubiquitous proto‐oncogene protein DEK has been found to be associated with chromatin during the entire cell cycle. It changes the topology of DNA in chromatin and protein‐free DNA through the introduction of positive supercoils. The sequence and structure specificities of DEK–DNA interactions are not completely understood. The binding of DEK to DNA is not sequence specific, but we describe here that DEK has a clear preference for supercoiled and four‐way junction DNA. In the presence of topoisomerase II, DEK stimulates intermolecular catenation of circular DNA molecules. DEK also increases the probability of intermolecular ligation of linear DNA molecules by DNA ligase. These binding properties qualify DEK as an architectural protein.
Oxford University Press