NMR Hydrogen Exchange Study of DNA Duplex Containing the Consensus Binding Site for Human MEIS1

Transcription factors are proteins that bind specific sites or elements in regulatory regions of DNA, known as promoters or enhancers, where they control the transcription or expression of target genes. MEIS1 protein is a DNA-binding domain present in human transcription factors and plays important roles in various biological functions. The hydrogen exchange rate constants of the imino protons were determined for the wild-type containing the consensus DNA-binding site for the MEIS1 and those of the mutant DNA duplexes using NMR spectroscopy. The G2A-, A3G- and C4T-mutant DNA duplexes lead to clear changes in thermal stabilities of these four consensus base pairs. These unique dynamic features of the four base pairs in the consensus 5'-TGAC-3' sequence might play crucial roles in the effective DNA binding of the MEIS1 protein.