DNA : protein interactions

Our understanding of the mechanisms regulating gene expression, which determine the patterns of growth and development in all living organisms, ultimately involves the elucidation of the detailed and dy­ namic interactions of proteins with nucleic acids -both DNA and RNA. Until recently the commonly presented view of the DNA double helix­ as visualized on the covers of many textbooks and journals - was as a monotonous static straight rod incapable in its own right of directing the processes necessary for the conservation and selective reading of genetic information. This view, although perhaps extreme, was reinforced by the necessary linearity of genetic maps. The reality is that the biological functions of both DNA and RNA are dependent on complex, and sometimes transient, three-dimensional nucleoprotein structures in which genetically distant elements are brought into close spatial proximity. It is in such structures that the enzymatic manipulation of DNA in the essential biological processes as DNA replication, transcription and recombination are effected - the complexes are the mediators of the 'DNA transactions' of Hatch Echols. Dna Structure -- Structural Features Of Dna -- Dna Polymorphism -- Conformational Variability Of Dna -- Intrinsic Bending Of Dna -- Dna Supercoiling And Topology -- Topology Of Protein-bound Dna -- Structure Of Supercoiled Dna -- Dna-protein Interactions: The Three-dimensional Architecture Of Dna-protein Complexes -- General Principles -- Local Dna Conformation And Protein Binding -- Dna Wrapping -- Dna Configuration And Sequence Periodicity -- Establishment Of Dna Architecture -- Dna-protein Interactions: Sequence Specific Recognition -- General Principles Of Sequence Specific Recognition -- Structural Motifs For Sequence Specific Binding -- Helix-turn-helix Motif -- C1 And Cro Repressors -- Catabolite Activator Protein (cap) -- Lac Repressor Protein -- Tryptophan Repressor -- Zinc-containing Dna-binding Domains The Interaction Of Zinc Fingers With Dna -- Other Dna Binding Structures -- Heterodimer Formation -- Co-operative Binding To Dna -- Co-operativity At A Distance: Dna Looping -- Protein Flexibility In Dna-protein Complexes -- Mechanism Of Rna Chain Initiation -- Promoter -- Rna Polymerases. (cont) Kinetics Of Transcription Initiation -- Molecular Interactions Of Rna Polymerase With A Promoter Site -- Topological Consequences Of Transcription -- Transcriptional Activators -- Transcriptional Activation By Negative Superhelicity -- How Does Rna Polymerase Melt Promoter Dna? -- Regulation Of Promoter Selectivity In Eubacteria -- Control Of Stable Rna Synthesis -- Stable Ran Promoters -- Transition From Exponential Growth To Stationary Phase And Vice Versa -- Sigma Factors And Promoter Recognition -- Heat Shock Response -- Target For Transcriptional Enhancers -- Transcriptional Programmes Of Bacterial Viruses -- Mechanism Of Eukaryotic Transcription -- Eukaryotic Transcriptional Regulatory Elements -- Eukaryotic Transcriptional Regulators: Structure -- Specificity And Selectivity Of Eukaryotic Transcription Factors -- Sp1 Transcription Factor -- Heat Shock Transcription Factor (hsf) -- How Do Transcriptional Activators Work? -- Transcription By Rna Polymerase Iii -- Establishment Of Repression -- Chromatin And Transcription -- Local Control Of Chromatin Structure. (cont) Structural Organization Of Chromatin -- Chromosomal Superstructure -- Heterochromatin -- Regulation Of Transcriptional Competence. Andrew Travers. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Front Matter....Pages i-x DNA structure....Pages 1-27 DNA—protein interactions: The three-dimensional architecture of DNA—protein complexes....Pages 28-51 DNA-protein interactions: sequence specific recognition....Pages 52-86 The mechanism of RNA chain initiation....Pages 87-108 The regulation of promoter selectivity in eubacteria....Pages 109-129 The mechanism of eukaryotic transcription....Pages 130-157 Chromatin and transcription....Pages 158-175 Back Matter....Pages 176-180 The binding of proteins to DNA and the manipulation of DNA by proteins are crucial aspects of the biological role of DNA in the living cell. This book provides a comprehensive and lucid discussion of the molecular interactions involved