A Balaeff | PubMed Health

PubMed2004

Modelling DNA loops using continuum and statistical mechanics.

The classical Kirchhoff elastic-rod model applied to DNA is extended to account for sequence-dependent intrinsic twist and curvature, anisotropic bending rigidity, electrostatic force interactions, and overdamped Brownian motion in a solvent. The zero-temperature equilibrium rod model is then applied to study the structural basis of the function of the lac repressor protein in the lac operon of Escherichia coli. The structure of a DNA loop induced by the clamping of two distant DNA operator sites by lac repressor is investigated and the optimal geometries for the loop of length 76 bp are predicted. Further, the mimicked binding of catabolite gene activator protein (CAP) inside the loop provides solutions that might explain the experimentally observed synergy in DNA binding between the two proteins. Finally, a combined Monte Carlo and Brownian dynamics solver for a worm-like chain model is described and a preliminary analysis of DNA loop-formation kinetics is presented.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed1998

Structure prediction of a complex between the chromosomal protein HMG-D and DNA.

Non-histone chromosomal proteins are an important part of nuclear structure and function due to their ability to interact with DNA to form and modulate chromatin structure and regulate gene expression. However, the understanding of the function of chromosomal proteins at the molecular level has been hampered by the lack of structures of chromosomal protein-DNA complexes. We have carried out a molecular dynamics modeling study to provide insight into the mode of DNA binding to the chromosomal HMG-domain protein, HMG-D. Three models of a complex of HMG-D bound to DNA were derived through docking the protein to two different DNA fragments of known structure. Molecular dynamics simulations of the complexes provided data indicating the most favorable model. This model was further refined by molecular dynamics simulation and extensively analyzed. The structure of the corresponding HMG-D-DNA complex exhibits many features seen in the NMR structures of the sequence-specific HMG-domain-DNA complexes, lymphoid enhancer factor 1 (LEF-1) and testis determining factor (SRY). The model reveals differences from these known structures that suggest how chromosomal proteins bind to many different DNA sequences with comparable affinity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗