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. 1988 Nov;85(21):7947–7951. doi: 10.1073/pnas.85.21.7947

Recognition helices of lac and lambda repressor are oriented in opposite directions and recognize similar DNA sequences.

N Lehming 1, J Sartorius 1, S Oehler 1, B von Wilcken-Bergmann 1, B Müller-Hill 1
PMCID: PMC282330  PMID: 3186699

Abstract

Exchanges in positions 1 and 2 of the putative recognition helix allow lac repressor to bind to ideal lac operator variants in which base pair 4 has been replaced. We show here that an Arg-22----Asn exchange in position 6 of the putative recognition helix of lac repressor abolishes lac repressor binding to ideal lac operator. This lac repressor variant, however, binds to a variant of the ideal lac operator 5' TTTGAGCGCTCAAA 3' in which the original G.C of position 6 has been replaced by T.A. This result and our previous data confirm our suggestion that the N terminus of the recognition helix of lac repressor enters the major groove close to the center of symmetry of lac operator and that its C terminus leaves the major groove further away from the center of symmetry. The consequences of this model are discussed in regard to various phage and bacterial repressor operator systems.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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