Additional recommended knowledge
In proteins, the helix-turn-helix (HTH) is a major structural motif capable of binding DNA. It is composed of two α helices joined by a short strand of amino acids and is found in many proteins that regulate gene expression.
Its discovery was based on similarities between the genes for Cro, CAP, and λ repressor, which share a common 20-25 amino acid sequence that facilitates DNA recognition. In particular, recognition and binding to DNA is done by the two α helices, one occupying the N-terminal end of the motif, the other at the C-terminus. In most cases, such as in the Cro repressor, the second helix contributes most to DNA recognition, and hence it is often called the "recognition helix". It binds to the major groove of DNA through a series of hydrogen bonds and various Van der Waals interactions with exposed bases. The other α helix stabilizes the interaction between protein and DNA, but does not play a particularly strong role in its recognition.
It is also called helix-loop-helix (HLH).
See also
References
- Brennan R, Matthews B (1989). "The helix-turn-helix DNA binding motif". J. Biol. Chem. 264 (4): 1903-6. PMID 2644244.
- Matthews B, Ohlendorf D, Anderson W, Takeda Y (1982). "Structure of the DNA-binding region of lac repressor inferred from its homology with cro repressor". Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 79 (5): 1428-32. PMID 6951187.
Transcription factors and intracellular receptors |
---|
(1) Basic domains |
(1.1) Basic leucine zipper (bZIP) |
Activating transcription factor (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) • AP-1 (c-Fos, FOSB, FOSL1, FOSL2, c-Jun, JUNB, JUND) • BACH (1, 2) • C/EBP (α, β, γ, δ, ε, ζ) • CREB (1, 3) • GABPA • MAF (B, F, G, K) • NRL • NRF1 • XBP1 |
(1.2) Basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) |
ATOH1 • AhR • AHRR • ARNT • ASCL1 • BMAL (ARNTL, ARNTL2) • CLOCK • HIF (1A, 3A) • Myogenic regulatory factors (MyoD, Myogenin, MYF5, MYF6) • NEUROD1 • Twist • USF1 |
(1.3) bHLH-ZIP |
Myc • MITF • SREBP (1, 2) |
(1.6) Basic helix-span-helix (bHSH) |
AP-2 |
|
---|
(2) Zinc finger DNA-binding domains |
(2.1) Nuclear receptor (Cys4) |
subfamily 1 (Thyroid hormone (α, β), CAR, FXR, LXR (α, β), PPAR (α, β/δ, γ), PXR, RAR (α, β, γ), ROR (α, β, γ), Rev-ErbA (α, β), VDR) • subfamily 2 (COUP-TF (I, II), Ear-2, HNF4 (α, γ), PNR, RXR (α, β, γ), Testicular receptor (2, 4), TLX) • subfamily 3 (Steroid hormone (Estrogen (α, β), Estrogen related (α, β, γ), Androgen, Glucocorticoid, Mineralocorticoid, Progesterone)) • subfamily 4 NUR (NGFIB, NOR1, NURR1) • subfamily 5 (LRH-1, SF1) • subfamily 6 (GCNF) • subfamily 0 (DAX1, SHP) |
(2.2) Other Cys4 |
GATA (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) |
(2.3) Cys2His2 |
General transcription factors (TFIIA, TFIIB, TFIID, TFIIE, TFIIF, TFIIH: 1, 2) • GLI-Krüppel family (1, 2, 3, YY1) • KLF (2, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 12, 13) • Sp1 • zinc finger (3, 35, 43, 146, 148, 165, 217, 268, 281, 350) • Zbtb7 (7A) • ZBT (16, 17, 33) |
(2.4) Cys6 |
HIVEP1 |
|
---|
(3) Helix-turn-helix domains |
(3.1) Homeo domain |
ARX • Homeobox (A1, A3, A4, A5, A7, A9, A10, A11, A13, B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, B7, B8, B9, B13, C4, C6, C8, C9, C13, D1, D3, D4, D9, D10, D11, D12, D13) • NANOG • NKX (2-1, 2-5, 3-1) • POU domain (PIT-1, BRN-3: 1, 2, Octamer transcription factor: 1, 2, 3/4, 6, 7) |
(3.2) Paired box |
PAX (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) |
(3.3) Fork head / winged helix |
E2F (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) • FOX proteins (C1, C2, E1, G1, H1, L2, M1, N3, O3, O4, P1, P2, P3) |
(3.4) Heat Shock Factors |
HSF1 |
(3.5) Tryptophan clusters |
ELF (4, 5) • Interferon regulatory factors (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8) • MYB |
(3.6) TEA domain |
transcriptional enhancer factor 1, 2 |
|
---|
(4) β-Scaffold factors with minor groove contacts |
(4.1) Rel homology region |
NF-κB (NFKB1, NFKB2, REL, RELA, RELB) • NFAT (5, C1, C2, C3, C4) |
(4.2) STAT |
STAT (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) |
(4.3) p53 |
p53 |
(4.4) MADS box |
Mef2 (A, B, C, D) • SRF |
(4.7) High mobility group |
HNF (1A, 1B) • LEF1 • SOX (3, 4, 6, 9, 10, 13, 18) • SRY • SSRP1 |
(4.10) Cold-shock domain |
CSDA |
(4.11) Runt |
CBF (RUNX1, RUNX2, RUNX3) |
|
---|
(0) Other transcription factors |
(0.2) HMGI(Y) |
HMGA (1, 2) |
(0.3) Pocket domain |
Rb • RBL1 • RBL2 |
(0.6) Miscellaneous |
ARID (1A, 1B, 2, 3A, 3B, 4A) • CAP • Rho/Sigma • R-SMAD |
|
---|
|