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In simple terms proteins have specific structures to bind DNA, these have specific Amino Acids that give specificity for certain DNA sequences. As far as I am aware the main binding force is Hydrogen bonds between the Amino Acids and the DNA bases.
More specifically there are three well known of DNA binding motifs that proteins have. These are:
Homeodomains (Helix-Turn-Helix)
This class has three alpha helices, the 3 helix sits in the major groove of DNA and interacts with it in a base specific manor via Hydrogen bonding. Helix 1 and 2 sit above the DNA strand to stabilise the binding and the N terminal tail interacts in the minor groove.
Zinc Fingers
Form a special structure around a zinc atom (held by interaction with Cysteine and Histidine residues) to stabilise them (the protein motif is too small to have a hydrophobic core). To bind DNA the alpha helix (where the Histidine residues are found) of the domain again typically iteracts with the major groove of the target DNA.
Basic Leucine Zippers
These consist of two long alpha helices bound together by interactions between leucine residues found every 7 amino acids on each chain. The ends of the helices have a basic region that is responsible for binding DNA, again in the major groove.
That is all I can remember off the top of my head, hope it helps.
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∙ 16y ago
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Proteins that bind to DNA and turn on operons by making it easier for RNA polymerase to bind to a promoter are called?
Activators
How does EMSA electromobility shift assay measure whether the protein bends DNA?
EMSA does not measure if protein bends to DNA. It does measure what proteins bind to a specific region of DNA (usually a promoter region). You can use a supershift to determine exactly what protein is binding to the specific DNA region.
Where do Ribosomes bind on mRNA?
On the GGAGG sequence.
What are membrane proteins that bind to signals by which cells communicate?
receptor proteins
Ribosomes use the directions found in DNA to make-?
proteins
How do stabilizing proteins work on the DNA?
They bind to the single-stranded DNA.
Proteins that bind to DNA and turn on operons by making it easier for RNA polymerase to bind to a promoter are called?
Activators
What do single stranded binding proteins do?
When double stranded DNA is unwound into single stranded DNA, single-strand binding proteins bind to each single stranded DNA strand and prevent the two strands from reattaching to each other, allowing DNA replication to continue.
Silencers are sites in DNA that?
bind repressor proteins to inhibit the start of transcriptions
What are the proteins that bind to DNA and turn on operons by making it easier for RNA polymerase to bind to a promoter called?
transcription factor
What are the small pieces of Dna and Rna which recognize and bind to small portions of Genes called?
sn - for Small Nuclear - Dna and sn Rna.
What name is given to the group of proteins that bind to the unzipped DNA to keep the DNA bases from re-bonding once they have unzipped?
The mRNA strand!
What do the antibody proteins do?
They bind to antigens, which can be either proteins, carbohydrates, or proteins decorated with attached carbohydrates. This allows the immune system to recognize infectious organisms and parasites so it can prepare to fight them.
Purpose of pepsin in DNA extract?
Pepsin is an enzyme that catalyzes the breakdown of proteins into polypeptides and amino acids through hydrolysis. In DNA extraction, this proteolytic processing is essential in dissolving the cellular and histone proteins that bind the DNA strands.
Why the first porting complex bind to TARA box?
The TATA box (also called Goldberg-Hogness box) is a DNA sequence. The polymerase can then recognize this multi-protein complex and bind to it.
Why is it important for DNA to uncoil during DNA replication?
Since DNA is highly coiled to pack a huge amount of heredity information into a small space, it has to be unwound before transcription can begin. If it were still coiled, the proteins involved in the process of transcription cannot gain access to the internal regions DNA
If a mutation made histone proteins bind less tightly to DNA how might the cell cycle be affected?
So if the histones are not properly binding to the DNA then the DNA will not be able to condense into chromosomes, which it needs to do for mitosis to occur. So basically, mitosis will not occur.
