Cyclic adenosine monophosphate receptor: effect of cyclic AMP analogues on DNA binding and proteolytic inactivation.

The cyclic AMP receptor protein of Escherichia coli in the presence of cyclic AMP undergoes a conformational change resulting in an increased affinity for DNA and an increased susceptibility to attack by proteolytic enzymes resulting in loss of DNA binding capacity. Of several cyclic nucleotides tested only cyclic AMP and cyclic tubercidin monophosphate are able to effect the conformational transition in cyclic AMP receptor protein, prerequisite to proteolytic inactivation or DNA binding. Other analogues such as cyclic GMP or cyclic IMP which are competitive inhibitors of cyclic AMP do not support DNA binding or proteolytic inactivation.