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Biophysics of DNA-Protein Interactions pp 143–162Cite as

Studies of Sequence-Nonspecific HMGB DNA-Binding Proteins

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Abstract

This chapter introduces the interesting class of eukaryotic sequence-nonspecific DNA-bending proteins known as high-mobility group B (HMGB) proteins. The general problem of DNA stiffness and compaction is first considered. Molecular characteristics of HMGB proteins and hypothetical biological roles are then reviewed. The rest of the chapter relates examples of recent work from the author and collaborators to gain mechanistic insights by ensemble and single-molecule approaches and to develop quantitative in vivo assays of DNA physical properties and the effects of HMGB proteins.

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Acknowledgments

The author is delighted to acknowledge the seminal contributions of present and past students (Julie Soukup, Phil Hardwidge, Andy Rodrigues, Eric Ross, Laura Cassiday, Anne Keating, Robert Dean, Joe Azok, Tessa Davis, Bob McDonald, and Justin Peters), staff scientists (Claudia McDonald, Matt Ferber, Jeff Zimmerman, and Emily Rueter) and collaborators (Jason Kahn, Michael Fried, Stephen Levine, Gerald Manning, Wilma Olson, Luke Czapla, Luis Marky, Anjum Ansari, Ivan Rasnik, Alex Vologodskii, Darrin York, Barry Gold, Rob Phillips, Yitzhak Tor, Yuan Ping Pang, Peter Privalov, Larry Parkhurst, Bill Kirk, Mark Williams, Loren Williams, Nathan Israeloff, Chris Switzer, and Udayan Mohanty). The exceptional skills and intellectual contributions of Nicole Becker are deeply appreciated. It was the teaching of Tom Record that first inspired the author’s interest in this field. Work on HMGB proteins in the author’s lab has been funded by the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research and by NIH grant GM75965.

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  1. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA

    L. James Maher III

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  1. L. James Maher III
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Correspondence to L. James Maher III .

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  1. Dept. Physics, Northeastern University, Forsyth Street 110, Boston, 02115, Massachusetts, USA

    Mark C. Williams

  2. College of Medicine, Dept. Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, First Street SW., 200, Rochester, 55905, Minnesota, USA

    L. James Maher III

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Maher, L.J. (2010). Studies of Sequence-Nonspecific HMGB DNA-Binding Proteins. In: Williams, M., Maher, L. (eds) Biophysics of DNA-Protein Interactions. Biological and Medical Physics, Biomedical Engineering. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-92808-1_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-92808-1_7

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