Human Molecular Genetics, Vol 6, 1781-1790, Copyright © 1997 by Oxford University Press
AS Fortin, DA Underhill and P Gros
The Pax-3 protein contains two DNA-binding domains, a paired domain and a
homeodomain. Mutations in Pax-3 cause Waardenburg syndrome (WS) in humans
and the mouse Splotch (Sp) phenotype. In the Sp-delayed mouse, a mutation
in the Pax-3 paired domain (G9R) abrogates the DNA-binding activity of both
the paired domain and the homeodomain, suggesting that they may
functionally interact. To investigate this possibility further, we have
analyzed the DNA-binding properties of additional point mutants in the
Pax-3 paired domain and homeodomain that occur in WS patients (F12L, N14H,
G15S, P17L, R23L, G48A, S51F and G66D in the paired domain, V47F and R53G
in the homeodomain), the Pax-1 un mutation (G15A) and a substitution
associated with Peters' anomaly in the PAX-6 gene (R23G). Within the paired
domain, seven of 10 mutations were found to abrogate DNA-binding by the
paired domain. Remarkably, these seven mutations also affected DNA binding
by the homeodomain, causing either a complete loss (P17L and G66D), a
reduction (R23G, R23L, G15S and G15A) or an increase in DNA-binding
activity (N14H). In addition, the effect of paired domain mutations
occurred at the level of monomer formation by the homeodomain, while the
dimerization potential of this domain seemed unaffected in mutants where it
could be analyzed. Furthermore, while both homeodomain mutations were found
to abolish DNA binding by this domain, the R53G mutation also abrogated DNA
binding by the paired domain. The important observation that independent
mutations in either domain can affect DNA binding by the other in the
intact Pax- 3 protein strongly suggests that the two domains are not
functionally independent but bind DNA through cooperative interactions.
Modeling the deleterlous mutations on the three-dimensional structure of
the paired domain of Drosophila Prd shows that these mutations cluster at
the DNA interface, thus suggesting that a series of DNA contacts are
essential for DNA binding by both the paired domain and the homeodomain of
Pax-3.
ARTICLES
Reciprocal effect of Waardenburg syndrome mutations on DNA binding by the Pax-3 paired domain and homeodomain
Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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