1ig4

Publication Abstract from PubMed

In vertebrates, the biological consequences of DNA methylation are often mediated by protein factors containing conserved methyl-CpG binding domains (MBDs). Mutations in the MBD protein MeCP2 cause the neurodevelopmental disease Rett syndrome. We report here the solution structure of the MBD of the human methylation-dependent transcriptional regulator MBD1 bound to methylated DNA. DNA binding causes a loop in MBD1 to fold into a major and novel DNA binding interface. Recognition of the methyl groups and CG sequence at the methylation site is due to five highly conserved residues that form a hydrophobic patch. The structure indicates how MBD may access nucleosomal DNA without encountering steric interference from core histones, and provides a basis to interpret mutations linked to Rett syndrome in MeCP2.

Solution structure of the methyl-CpG binding domain of human MBD1 in complex with methylated DNA.,Ohki I, Shimotake N, Fujita N, Jee J, Ikegami T, Nakao M, Shirakawa M Cell. 2001 May 18;105(4):487-97. PMID:11371345^[1]

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.