Structural Basis for Sequence-specific DNA Recognition by an Arabidopsis WRKY Transcription Factor*

Background: The WRKY transcription factors recognize the W-box DNA element in target genes. Results: We determined the NMR solution structure of the WRKY DNA-binding domain of Arabidopsis WRKY4 in complex with W-box DNA. Conclusion: Apolar contacts by residues in the conserved WRKYGQK motif with thymine methyl groups are important in recognition of the W-box sequence. Significance: This is the first structure of the WRKY-DNA complex. The WRKY family transcription factors regulate plant-specific reactions that are mostly related to biotic and abiotic stresses. They share the WRKY domain, which recognizes a DNA element (TTGAC(C/T)) termed the W-box, in target genes. Here, we determined the solution structure of the C-terminal WRKY domain of Arabidopsis WRKY4 in complex with the W-box DNA by NMR. A four-stranded β-sheet enters the major groove of DNA in an atypical mode termed the β-wedge, where the sheet is nearly perpendicular to the DNA helical axis. Residues in the conserved WRKYGQK motif contact DNA bases mainly through extensive apolar contacts with thymine methyl groups. The importance of these contacts was verified by substituting the relevant T bases with U and by surface plasmon resonance analyses of DNA binding.

• Publication year

  2012

• Venue

  Journal of Biological Chemistry

• Publication date

  2012-01-04

• Fields of study

  Biology, Medicine, Chemistry

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.1074/jbc.M111.279844PMID 22219184PMCID PMC3293589
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar, PubMed

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

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