POU-specific domains

Figure 9.13 The DNA-binding region of the protein Oct-1, the POU region (green), comprises two domains, the POU-specific domain (dark green) and the POU homeodomain (light green) joined by a linker region (blue). These two domains bind to DNA in a tandem arrangement.

Figure 9.14 The two domains of the POU region bind in tandem on opposite sides of the DNA double helix. Both the POU-specific domain and the POU homeodomain have a helix-turn-helix motif (blue and red) which binds to DNA with their recognition helices (red) in the major groove. The linker region that joins these domains is partly disordered. (Adapted from J.D. Klemm et al.. Cell 77 21-32, 1994.)...

Decker, N., et al. Solution structure of the POU-specific DNA-binding domain of Oct-1. Nature 362 852-855, 1993. 

Both domains of the POU region bind to DNA by the usual combination of non specific binding to the DNA backbone and specific binding to the bases. The contacts between the homeodomain and DNA are similar to those of the engrailed homeodomain (compare Figures 9.10b and 9.15a) and the... 

Treacy, M. N He, X., and Rosenfeld, M. G. (1991). I-POU a POU-domain protein that inhibits neuron-specific gene activation. Nature 350 577-584. 

Clyne P. J., Certel S., de Bruyne M., Zaslavsky L., Johnson W., Carlson J. R. (1999) The odor-specificities of a subset of olfactory receptor neurons are governed by acj6, a POU domain transcription factor. Neuron 22, 339-347. 

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