SGD Paper Help



Pietrasanta LI, et al.  (1999) Probing the Saccharomyces cerevisiae centromeric DNA (CEN DNA)-binding factor 3 (CBF3) kinetochore complex by using atomic force microscopy. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 96(7):3757-62

Abstract: Yeast centromeric DNA (CEN DNA) binding factor 3 (CBF3) is a multisubunit protein complex that binds to the essential CDEIII element in CEN DNA. The four CBF3 proteins are required for accurate chromosome segregation and are considered to be core components of the yeast kinetochore. We have examined the structure of the CBF3-CEN DNA complex by atomic force microscopy. Assembly of CBF3-CEN DNA complexes was performed by combining purified CBF3 proteins with a DNA fragment that includes the CEN region from yeast chromosome III. Atomic force microscopy images showed DNA molecules with attached globular bodies. The contour length of the DNA containing the complex is approximately 9% shorter than the DNA alone, suggesting some winding of DNA within the complex. The measured location of the single binding site indicates that the complex is located asymmetrically to the right of CDEIII extending away from CDEI and CDEII, which is consistent with previous data. The CEN DNA is bent approximately 55 degrees at the site of complex formation. A significant fraction of the complexes are linked in pairs, showing three to four DNA arms, with molecular volumes approximately three times the mean volumes of two-armed complexes. These multi-armed complexes indicate that CBF3 can bind two DNA molecules together in vitro and, thus, may be involved in holding together chromatid pairs during mitosis.

Status: Published Type: Journal Article PubMed ID: 10097110

Topics addressed in this paper

Number of different genes curated to this paper: 4

  • To find other papers on a gene and topic, click on the colored ball in the appropriate box.
  • displays other papers with information about that topic for that gene.
  • displays other papers in SGD that are associated with that topic.
    The topic is addressed in these papers but does not describe a specific gene or chromosomal feature.
  • To go to the Locus page for a gene, click on the gene name.
Topics Genes linked to topics
CBF2 CEP3 CTF13 SKP1
Alias blue ball blue ball blue ball blue ball
Cellular Location blue ball blue ball blue ball blue ball
Primary Literature blue ball blue ball blue ball blue ball
Protein-protein Interactions blue ball blue ball blue ball blue ball
Substrates/Ligands/Cofactors blue ball blue ball blue ball blue ball
Techniques and Reagents blue ball blue ball blue ball blue ball

Author Searches

To find contact information or other publications by the authors of this paper, follow these three steps:
  1. (1) Choose an author,
  2. (2) Choose a search parameter,
  3. (3) Click to implement