Non-specific protein-DNA interactions control I-CreI target binding and cleavage

TY - JOUR

T1 - Non-specific protein-DNA interactions control I-CreI target binding and cleavage

AU - Molina, Rafael

AU - Redondo, Pilar

AU - Stella, Stefano

AU - Marenchino, Marco

AU - D'Abramo, Marco

AU - Gervasio, Francesco Luigi

AU - Charles Epinat, Jean

AU - Valton, Julien

AU - Grizot, Silvestre

AU - Duchateau, Phillipe

AU - Prieto, Jesús

AU - Montoya, Guillermo

PY - 2012/8/1

Y1 - 2012/8/1

N2 - Homing endonucleases represent protein scaffolds that provide powerful tools for genome manipulation, as these enzymes possess a very low frequency of DNA cleavage in eukaryotic genomes due to their high specificity. The basis of protein-DNA recognition must be understood to generate tailored enzymes that target the DNA at sites of interest. Protein-DNA interaction engineering of homing endonucleases has demonstrated the potential of these approaches to create new specific instruments to target genes for inactivation or repair. Protein-DNA interface studies have been focused mostly on specific contacts between amino acid side chains and bases to redesign the binding interface. However, it has been shown that 4bp in the central DNA sequence of the 22-bp substrate of a homing endonuclease (I-CreI), which do not show specific protein-DNA interactions, is not devoid of content information. Here, we analyze the mechanism of target discrimination in this substrate region by the I-CreI protein, determining how it can occur independently of the specific protein-DNA interactions. Our data suggest the important role of indirect readout in this substrate region, opening the possibility for a fully rational search of new target sequences, thus improving the development of redesigned enzymes for therapeutic and biotechnological applications.

AB - Homing endonucleases represent protein scaffolds that provide powerful tools for genome manipulation, as these enzymes possess a very low frequency of DNA cleavage in eukaryotic genomes due to their high specificity. The basis of protein-DNA recognition must be understood to generate tailored enzymes that target the DNA at sites of interest. Protein-DNA interaction engineering of homing endonucleases has demonstrated the potential of these approaches to create new specific instruments to target genes for inactivation or repair. Protein-DNA interface studies have been focused mostly on specific contacts between amino acid side chains and bases to redesign the binding interface. However, it has been shown that 4bp in the central DNA sequence of the 22-bp substrate of a homing endonuclease (I-CreI), which do not show specific protein-DNA interactions, is not devoid of content information. Here, we analyze the mechanism of target discrimination in this substrate region by the I-CreI protein, determining how it can occur independently of the specific protein-DNA interactions. Our data suggest the important role of indirect readout in this substrate region, opening the possibility for a fully rational search of new target sequences, thus improving the development of redesigned enzymes for therapeutic and biotechnological applications.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84864944748&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1093/nar/gks320

DO - 10.1093/nar/gks320

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 22495931

AN - SCOPUS:84864944748

SN - 0305-1048

VL - 40

SP - 6936

EP - 6945

JO - Nucleic Acids Research

JF - Nucleic Acids Research

IS - 14

ER -