Experimental identification of specificity determinants in the domain linker of a LacI/GalR protein: bioinformatics-based predictions generate true positives and false negatives.

ABSTRACT: In protein families, conserved residues often contribute to a common general function, such as DNA-binding. However, unique attributes for each homolog (e.g. recognition of alternative DNA sequences) must arise from variation in other functionally-important positions. The locations of these "specificity determinant" positions are obscured amongst the background of varied residues that do not make significant contributions to either structure or function. To isolate specificity determinants, a number of bioinformatics algorithms have been developed. When applied to the LacI/GalR family of transcription regulators, several specificity determinants are predicted in the 18 amino acids that link the DNA-binding and regulatory domains. However, results from alternative algorithms are only in par

SUBMITTER: Meinhardt S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2585155 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature