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9.7: Footprinting

  • Page ID
    4886
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    Footprinting is a method for determining the exact DNA sequence to which a particular DNA-binding protein binds. Examples:

    • hormone-receptor complexes that bind to their hormone response elements
    • transcription factors that bind eukaryotic operators, enhancers, and silencers
    • the lac repressor that shuts down the lac operon in E. coli
    alt
    Figure 9.7.1 Footprinting
    • Clone a piece of DNA that contains the operator site to which the repressor binds.
    • Label one end of the DNA molecules with a radioactive molecule, e.g. radioactive ATP.
    • Digest the DNA with DNase I.
      • DNase I cuts DNA molecules randomly (in contrast to restriction enzymes that cut where they find a particular sequence)
      • Choose such gentle conditions that most molecules will be cut only once.
    • The result will be a mixture of radioactive fragments of varying length, with the smallest increment in length represented by a single nucleotide.
    • Separate the fragments by electrophoresis.
    • Binding of the lac repressor to the sequence of 24 base pairs in the operator prevents DNase I from attacking that region of the molecule.
    • When the fragments are separated by electrophoresis, those representing the lengths covered by the repressor will be missing from the autoradiogram.
    • The resulting gap is the "footprint".
    • The same sample of DNA (unprotected by the repressor) is subjected to normal DNA sequencing and the resulting ladder aligned with the footprint autoradiogram.
    • The exact sequence of bases in the lac operator can then be read directly because they represent the rungs of the ladder missing in the footprint.

    This page titled 9.7: Footprinting is shared under a CC BY 3.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by John W. Kimball via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform; a detailed edit history is available upon request.