Lac repressor: a genetic and nuclear magnetic resonance study of structure and function

Journal Article · Wed Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1980 · Biophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0006-3495(80)84978-2· OSTI ID:7032492

Jarema, M A.C. ^[1]; Lu, P; Miller, J H

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1. Univ. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

The prototype gene control system, the lac operon of E. coli, has recently also become the best chemically characterized system to date. The complete primary sequence of both the gene and the protein reponsible for the regulation of this operon, the repressor, is known, along with the DNA sequence of its site of action, the operator. The lac repressor is a tetrametic protein with four identical subunits of 360 amino acids each, giving a total molecular weight of 154,000. The lac operator sequence is about 25 to 30 base pairs long. With the wealth of information about the primary structure the next question is one of geometry. This leads to the application of either x-ray diffraction or nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods, since these are the only approaches that yield information about the geometry and environment of specific groups and atoms in these molecules. Since we are interested in the interaction of repressor with a variety of small molecular weight inducers and anti-inducers, as well as the operator sequence in aqueous solution, we chose the NMR approach. As of this writing, no useful crystals of the lac repressor or the repressor and any of its ligands have been reported. Because of our extensive genetic work with this system, we have a unique advantage in taking this approach as well.

• OSTI ID: 7032492
• Journal Information: Biophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Biophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 32:1; ISSN BIOJA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550200* -- Biochemistry
550400 -- Genetics
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
BACTERIA
BIOLOGY
COHERENT SCATTERING
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DIFFRACTION
DNA
ESCHERICHIA COLI
GENES
GENETICS
GEOMETRY
MAGNETIC RESONANCE
MATHEMATICS
MICROORGANISMS
MICROSTRUCTURE
MOLECULAR STRUCTURE
NMR SPECTRA
NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE
NUCLEIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PROTEINS
RESONANCE
SCATTERING
SPECTRA
STRUCTURAL CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
X-RAY DIFFRACTION