Ternary complexes in protein-DNA interactions: Kinetics and mechanisms.

ABSTRACT: Transcription factors (TFs) play a central role in gene regulation by binding specific DNA sequences. Although extensive research has uncovered various mechanisms governing binary TF·DNA complexes, relatively few structural and mechanistic studies exist for ternary complexes or larger assemblies. This study employs coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations to investigate how DNA conformation, TF properties, and protein-protein interactions influence ternary complex formation. We focus on 2 TF·TF·DNA systems: Sox2·octamer transcription factor 1 (Oct1)·DNA and SRF·SAP1·DNA, each involving 2 TFs, one of which binds to a bent DNA segment and the other to a more linear DNA region. Our findings reveal that, in both systems, the kinetics of ternary complex formation is primarily governed by n

SUBMITTER: Hefetz A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12805347 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature