C-terminal diversity within the p53 family accounts for differences in DNA binding and transcriptional activity.

ABSTRACT: The p53 family is known as a family of transcription factors with functions in tumor suppression and development. Whereas the central DNA-binding domain is highly conserved among the three family members p53, p63 and p73, the C-terminal domains (CTDs) are diverse and subject to alternative splicing and post-translational modification. Here we demonstrate that the CTDs strongly influence DNA binding and transcriptional activity: while p53 and the p73 isoform p73gamma have basic CTDs and form weak sequence-specific protein-DNA complexes, the major p73 isoforms have neutral CTDs and bind DNA strongly. A basic CTD has been previously shown to enable sliding along the DNA backbone and to facilitate the search for binding sites in the complex genome. Our experiments, however, reveal that a basic

SUBMITTER: Sauer M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2330244 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature