Genetic evidence that an activation domain of GAL4 does not require acidity and may form a β sheet

Kerstin K. Leuther, John M. Salmeron, Stephen A. Johnston

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

125 Scopus citations

Abstract

Regulation of gene expression in eukaryotes relies on intricate protein-protein interactions. Transcription of the galactose genes in yeast has been a productive model for this type of interaction. The positive activator in this system, GAL4, has a bifunctional C-terminus. It contains both a prototypic acidic activation domain and a region that binds the negative regulator, GAL80. We have taken advantage of this colocalization of functions to subject the region to a constrained mutagenesis analysis: one function was maintained, while the other one was altered. This analysis and the experiments it suggested have led us to two conclusions: first, the acidic amino acids are not, as commonly thought, required for activation; second, this region is not unstructured or α helical, but its function may require a β sheet.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)575-585
Number of pages11
JournalCell
Volume72
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 26 1993
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

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