Multiple domains of Mata1 transcription factor contribute to binding site specificity

All four Mat1 regions, not only the HMG box, are required for DNA-binding sequence specificity, as chimeras show reduced activation of the S. cerevisiae reporter.

• Why it matters: Mat1 homologs in budding yeast perform similar regulatory roles yet bind different cis-regulatory sequences, so the protein determinants of that specificity are unclear.
• What they did: The team built structure-guided Mat1 chimeras swapping four regions and tested them with species-specific reporters for S. cerevisiae versus C. albicans.
• The result: Replacing any one of the four regions lowered activation of the S. cerevisiae reporter, while every chimera still activated the C. albicans reporter, implying all four regions contribute to specificity.

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