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Oxford University Press, Nucleic Acids Research, 22(31), p. 6663-6673, 2003

DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkg877

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Molecular flip–flops formed by overlapping Fis sites

Journal article published in 2003 by Ilya G. Lyakhov, Lisa E. Stewart, Thomas D. Schneider ORCID, Paul N. Hengen
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

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Abstract

The DNA-binding protein Fis frequently uses pairs of sites 7 or 11 base pairs (bp) apart. Two overlapping Fis sites separated by 11 bp are found in the Escherichia coli origin of chromosomal replication. Only one of these sites is bound by Fis at a time, so the structure is a molecular flip–flop that could direct alternative firing of replication complexes in opposite directions. Alternatively, the flip–flop could represent part of an on–off switch for replication. Because they can be used to create precise switched states, molecular flip–flops could be used as the basis of a novel molecular computer.