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The Structural Basis of Cooperative Regulation at an Alternate Genetic Switch

Journal Article · · Mol. Cell
Bacteriophage {gamma} is a paradigm for understanding the role of cooperativity in gene regulation. Comparison of the regulatory regions of {gamma} and the unrelated temperate bacteriophage 186 provides insight into alternate ways to assemble functional genetic switches. The structure of the C-terminal domain of the 186 repressor, determined at 2.7 Angstroms resolution, reveals an unusual heptamer of dimers, consistent with presented genetic studies. In addition, the structure of a cooperativity mutant of the full-length 186 repressor, identified by genetic screens, was solved to 1.95 Angstroms resolution. These structures provide a molecular basis for understanding lysogenic regulation in 186. Whereas the overall fold of the 186 and {gamma} repressor monomers is remarkably similar, the way the two repressors cooperatively assemble is quite different and explains in part the differences in their regulatory activity.
Research Organization:
Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) National Synchrotron Light Source
Sponsoring Organization:
Doe - Office Of Science
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-98CH10886
OSTI ID:
914287
Report Number(s):
BNL--78855-2007-JA
Journal Information:
Mol. Cell, Journal Name: Mol. Cell Vol. 21
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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