Abstract
We have found that the bacterial transposon Tn7 can recognize and preferentially insert adjacent to triple-helical nucleic acid structures. Both synthetic intermolecular triplexes, formed through the pairing of a short triplex-forming oligonucleotide on a plasmid DNA, and naturally occurring mirror repeat sequences known to form intramolecular triplexes or H-form DNA are preferential targets for Tn7 insertion in vitro. This target site selectivity depends upon the recognition of the triplex region by a Tn7- encoded ATP-using protein, TnsC, which controls Tn7 target site selection: the interaction of TnsC with the triplex region results in recruitment and activation of the Tn7 transposase. Recognition of a nucleic acid structural motif provides both new information into the factors that influence Tn7's target site selection and broadens its targeting capabilities.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 3936-3941 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America |
Volume | 97 |
Issue number | 8 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Apr 11 2000 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General