Nonisotopic quantitative analysis of protein-DNA interactions at equilibrium

Abstract

Two versions of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-type method to quantify protein-DNA interactions at equilibrium were developed. The first variant comprised immobilization of DNA-binding protein on microtiter plates, incubation with biotinylated DNA, and tagging of bound DNA with streptavidin- and biotin-substituted horseradish peroxidase. In the second version, biotinylated DNA was immobilized on streptavidin-substituted microtiter plates, incubated with DNA-binding protein, and bound protein was quantified with specific antibodies. To illustrate the method, the interaction of a fusion protein between glutathione-S-transferase and the DNA-binding domain of the helicase-like transcription factor with its cis-element (the B box of the plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 promoter) was determined with both versions: a 1:1 stoichiometric interaction with an equilibrium dissociation constant (Kd) of 1 nM was found, which is similar to the value determined by electrophoretic mobility shift assay, demonstrating the validity of the assays.