Single molecule studies reveal that p53 tetramers dynamically bind response elements containing one or two half sites.

ABSTRACT: The tumor suppressor protein p53 is critical for cell fate decisions, including apoptosis, senescence, and cell cycle arrest. p53 is a tetrameric transcription factor that binds DNA response elements to regulate transcription of target genes. p53 response elements consist of two decameric half-sites, and data suggest one p53 dimer in the tetramer binds to each half-site. Despite a broad literature describing p53 binding DNA, unanswered questions remain, due partly to the need for more quantitative and structural studies with full length protein. Here we describe a single molecule fluorescence system to visualize full length p53 tetramers binding DNA in real time. The data revealed a dynamic interaction in which tetrameric p53/DNA complexes assembled and disassembled without a dimer/DNA int

SUBMITTER: Ly E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7528078 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature