Modulation of DNA Binding Specificity by Alternative Splicing of the Wilms Tumor wt1 Gene Transcript

Wendy A. Bickmore; Kathy Oghene; Melissa H. Little; Anne Seawright; Veronica van Heyningen; Nicholas D. Hastie

doi:10.1126/science.1321494

Abstract

The technique of whole-genome polymerase chain reaction was used to study the DNA binding properties of the product of the wt1 gene. The zinc finger region of this gene is alternatively spliced such that the major transcript encodes a protein with three extra amino acids between the third and fourth fingers. The minor form of the protein binds specifically to DNA. It is now shown that the major form of wt1 messenger RNA encodes a protein that binds to DNA with a specificity that differs from that of the minor form. Therefore, alternative splicing within the DNA binding domain of a transcription factor can generate proteins with distinct DNA binding specificities and probably different physiological targets.

Keywords

Alternative splicingBiologyRNA splicingZinc fingerGeneDNAMolecular biologyGeneticsMessenger RNARNATranscription factor

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Publication Info

Year: 1992
Type: article
Volume: 257
Issue: 5067
Pages: 235-237
Citations: 224
Access: Closed

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APA Style

                            
                                
                                    Wendy A. Bickmore, 
                                
                                    Kathy Oghene, 
                                
                                    Melissa H. Little
                                
                                et al.
                            
                            (1992). 
                            Modulation of DNA Binding Specificity by Alternative Splicing of the Wilms Tumor <i>wt1</i> Gene Transcript. 
                            Science
                            , 257
                            (5067)
                            , 235-237.
                            https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1321494
                        

Identifiers

DOI: 10.1126/science.1321494