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Problems of search and recognition appear over different scales in biological systems. In this review we focus on the challenges posed by interactions between proteins, in particular transcription factors, and DNA and possible mechanisms which allow for a fast and selective target location. Initially we argue that DNA-binding proteins can be classified, broadly, into three distinct classes which we illustrate using experimental data. Each class calls for a different search process and we discuss the possible application of different search mechanisms proposed over the years to each class. The main thrust of this review is a new mechanism which is based on barrier discrimination. We introduce the model and analyze in detail its consequences. It is shown that this mechanism applies to all classes of transcription factors and can lead to a fast and specific search. Moreover, it is shown that the mechanism has interesting transient features which allow for stability at the target despite rapid binding and unbinding of the transcription factor from the target.
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Experiments indicate that unbinding rates of proteins from DNA can depend on the concentration of proteins in nearby solution. Here we present a theory of multi-step replacement of DNA-bound proteins by solution-phase proteins. For four different kinetic scenarios we calculate the depen- dence of protein unbinding and replacement rates on solution protein concentration. We find (1) strong effects of progressive rezipping of the solution-phase protein onto DNA sites liberated by unzipping of the originally bound protein; (2) that a model in which solution-phase proteins bind non-specifically to DNA can describe experiments on exchanges between the non specific DNA- binding proteins Fis-Fis and Fis-HU; (3) that a binding specific model describes experiments on the exchange of CueR proteins on specific binding sites.
Studies of circular DNA confined to nanofluidic channels are relevant both from a fundamental polymer-physics perspective and due to the importance of circular DNA molecules in vivo. We here observe the unfolding of DNA from the circular to linear configuration as a light-induced double strand break occurs, characterize the dynamics, and compare the equilibrium conformational statistics of linear and circular configurations. This is important because it allows us to determine to which extent existing statistical theories describe the extension of confined circular DNA. We find that the ratio of the extensions of confined linear and circular DNA configurations increases as the buffer concentration decreases. The experimental results fall between theoretical predictions for the extended de Gennes regime at weaker confinement and the Odijk regime at stronger confinement. We show that it is possible to directly distinguish between circular and linear DNA molecules by measuring the emission intensity from the DNA. Finally, we determine the rate of unfolding and show that this rate is larger for more confined DNA, possibly reflecting the corresponding larger difference in entropy between the circular and linear configurations.
Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) do not possess well-defined three-dimensional structures in solution under physiological conditions. We develop all-atom, united-atom, and coarse-grained Langevin dynamics simulations for the IDP alpha-synuclein that include geometric, attractive hydrophobic, and screened electrostatic interactions and are calibrated to the inter-residue separations measured in recent smFRET experiments. We find that alpha-synuclein is disordered with conformational statistics that are intermediate between random walk and collapsed globule behavior. An advantage of calibrated molecular simulations over constraint methods is that physical forces act on all residues, not only on residue pairs that are monitored experimentally, and these simulations can be used to study oligomerization and aggregation of multiple alpha-synuclein proteins that may precede amyloid formation.
We study the behavior of five proteins at the air-water and oil-water interfaces by all-atom molecular dynamics. The proteins are found to get distorted when pinned to the interface. This behavior is consistent with the phenomenological way of introducing the interfaces in a coarse-grained model through a force that depends on the hydropathy indices of the residues. Proteins couple to the oil-water interface stronger than to the air- water one. They diffuse slower at the oil-water interface but do not depin from it, whereas depinning events are observed at the other interface. The reduction of the disulfide bonds slows the diffusion down.
Strongly correlated electrostatics of DNA systems has drawn the interest of many groups, especially the condensation and overcharging of DNA by multivalent counterions. By adding counterions of different valencies and shapes, one can enhance or reduce DNA overcharging. In this papers, we focus on the effect of multivalent co-ions, specifically divalent co-ions such as SO$_4^{2-}$. A computational experiment of DNA condensation using Monte$-$Carlo simulation in grand canonical ensemble is carried out where DNA system is in equilibrium with a bulk solution containing a mixture of salt of different valency of co-ions. Compared to system with purely monovalent co-ions, the influence of divalent co-ions shows up in multiple aspects. Divalent co-ions lead to an increase of monovalent salt in the DNA condensate. Because monovalent salts mostly participate in linear screening of electrostatic interactions in the system, more monovalent salt molecules enter the condensate leads to screening out of short-range DNA$-$DNA like charge attraction and weaker DNA condensation free energy. The overcharging of DNA by multivalent counterions is also reduced in the presence of divalent co$-$ions. Strong repulsions between DNA and divalent co-ions and among divalent co-ions themselves leads to a {em depletion} of negative ions near DNA surface as compared to the case without divalent co-ions. At large distance, the DNA$-$DNA repulsive interaction is stronger in the presence of divalent co$-$ions, suggesting that divalent co$-$ions role is not only that of simple stronger linear screening.
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