Sequence-specific high mobility group box factors recognize 10-12-base pair minor groove motifs.

Sequence-specific high mobility group (HMG) box factors bind and bend DNA via interactions in the minor groove. Three-dimensional NMR analyses have provided the structural basis for this interaction. The cognate HMG domain DNA motif is generally believed to span 6-8 bases. However, alignment of promoter elements controlled by the yeast genes ste11 and Rox1 has indicated strict conservation of a larger DNA motif. By site selection, we identify a highly specific 12-base pair motif for Ste11, AGAACAAAGAAA. Similarly, we show that Tcf1, MatMc, and Sox4 bind unique, highly specific DNA motifs of 12, 12, and 10 base pairs, respectively. Footprinting with a deletion mutant of Ste11 reveals a novel interaction between the 3' base pairs of the extended DNA motif and amino acids C-terminal to the HMG domain. The sequence-specific interaction of Ste11 with these 3' base pairs contributes significantly to binding and bending of the DNA motif.