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. 1988 Dec 20;7(13):4045–4053. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1988.tb03298.x

TnpA product encoded by the transposable element En-1 of Zea mays is a DNA binding protein.

A Gierl 1, S Lütticke 1, H Saedler 1
PMCID: PMC455112  PMID: 2854053

Abstract

TnpA protein, the function encoded by the most abundant transcript of En-1 was expressed in Escherichia coli. DNA binding experiments with partially purified tnpA protein revealed that it binds to the subterminal repetitive region of En-1. TnpA protein recognizes a 12-bp-long sequence motif which is reiterated several times at the termini of En-1. Binding is reduced if the cytosine residues of CG dinucleotides and CNG trinucleotides within the motif are methylated. These data suggest a model in which the product of tnpA serves as a regulator of element activity.

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