Loosening of DNA/polycation complexes by synthetic polyampholyte to improve the transcription efficiency: effect of charge balance in the polyampholyte.

ABSTRACT: High mobililty group proteins are amphoteric nuclear proteins that are known to unfold chromatin to stimulate transcription. To mimic their structures, we synthesized the novel polyethylene glycol (PEG) derivatives, PEG-ACs, consisting of both amino- and carboxyl-pendants in various ratios, and their loosening and transcription-improving activity on the DNA complex was examined. Fluorescence anisotropy measurement revealed that anionic PEG-ACs with more carboxyls than amines could efficiently loosen the DNA/polyethyleneimine complex. Those anionic PEG-ACs showing a loosening effect on the DNA complex evidently increased the transcription rate to >20 times higher than that of the original complex, probably owing to the facilitated approach of transcriptional factors to the DNA segments in t

SUBMITTER: Yoshihara C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2849077 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature