A SELEX study of the DNA-binding specificity of archaeal FFRPs: 2. FL4 (pot1613368).

The DNA-binding specificity of a transcription factor, the FFRP FL4 (pot1613368) from Pyrococcus sp. OT3, was studied. Using SELEX (systematic evolution of ligands by exponential environment) experiments, from a set of fragments, ∼150 bps, of the genomic DNA of P. OT3, seven were selected as containing binding sites. Thirteen bases identified as shared by the seven selected fragments with the least mismatches, 2.71 on average, was ATGAA AAAGTCAT. This sequence was closely related with another sequence, ATGAA[AAA/TTT]TTCAT, in the 5-3-5 arrangement, i.e. NANBNCNDNE [AAA/TTT]NENDNCNBNA , where, e.g. NA was the base complementary to NA. The average number of mismatches found between this sequence and the seven fragments was 3.14. A sequence, TTGAA ATT TACAA, resembling the sequence ATGAA[AAA/TTT]TTCAT and also another 5-3-5 sequence, TTGAA[AAA/TTT]TTCAA, was found upstream of the fl4 gene, which is potentially recognized by FL4 for auto-regulation. Thus it is likely that an ideal binding-site of FL4 is ATGAA[AAA/TTT]TTCAT or TTGAA[AAA/TTT]TTCAA. In this abstract, the sequences were highlighted in Italic at 3, and with bold characters at 5 and 5. When two sequences compared were the same at some positions, there they were underlined.