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Specificity switching of the P1 plasmid centromere‐like site.
Author(s) -
Davis M.A.,
Martin K.A.,
Austin S.J.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
the embo journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 7.484
H-Index - 392
eISSN - 1460-2075
pISSN - 0261-4189
DOI - 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1990.tb08201.x
Subject(s) - centromere , biology , chromosome , genetics , plasmid , computational biology , microbiology and biotechnology , dna , gene
The P1 plasmid partition site acts like a centromere, promoting accurate segregation of copies to daughter cells. A 34 bp segment is essential for partition and binds the plasmid ParB protein. Additional sequences act as specificity elements that direct the choice of copies for partition. They include a second ParB binding site and a site for the host integration host factor protein. Sites lacking one or more of these additional elements are switched to a different specificity. Defined mutants were scored for partition specificity and protein binding. The results suggest that the wild‐type site is folded in a specific DNA‐protein complex. Disruption of the complex leads to an open configuration which, while still active in partition, has altered recognition specificity.