Arabidopsis SEPALLATA proteins differ in cooperative DNA-binding during the formation of floral quartet-like complexes.

ABSTRACT: The SEPALLATA (SEP) genes of Arabidopsis thaliana encode MADS-domain transcription factors that specify the identity of all floral organs. The four Arabidopsis SEP genes function in a largely yet not completely redundant manner. Here, we analysed interactions of the SEP proteins with DNA. All of the proteins were capable of forming tetrameric quartet-like complexes on DNA fragments carrying two sequence elements termed CArG-boxes. Distances between the CArG-boxes for strong cooperative DNA-binding were in the range of 4-6 helical turns. However, SEP1 also bound strongly to CArG-box pairs separated by smaller or larger distances, whereas SEP2 preferred large and SEP4 preferred small inter-site distances for binding. Cooperative binding of SEP3 was comparatively weak for most of the inter-si

SUBMITTER: Jetha K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4176161 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature