Solution structure of the B-Myb DNA-binding domain: A possible role for conformational instability of the protein in DNA binding and control of gene expression

Double- and triple-resonance heteronuclear NMR spectroscopy have been used to determine the high-resolution solution structure of the minimal B-Myb DNA-binding domain (B-MybR2R3) and to characterize the specific complex formed with a synthetic DNA fragment corresponding to the Myb target site on the Myb-regulated gene tom-1. B-MybR2R3 is shown to consist of two independent protein domains (R2 and R3) joined by a short linker, which have strikingly different tertiary structures despite significant sequence similarities, In addition, the C-terminal region of B-Myb R2 is confirmed to have a poorly defined structure, reflecting the existence of multiple conformations in slow to intermediate exchange. This contrasts with the tertiary structure reported for c-MybR2R3, in which both R2 and R3 have the same fold and the C-terminal region of R2 forms a stable, well-defined helix [Ogata, K., et al. (1995) Nat. Struct. Biol, 2, 309-320]. The NMR data suggest there are extensive contacts between B-MybR2R3 and its DNA target site in the complex and are consistent with a significant conformational change in the protein on binding to DNA, with one possibility being the formation of a stable helix in the C-terminal region of R2. In addition, conformational heterogeneity identified in R2 of B-MybR2R3 bound to the tom-1-A target site may play an important role in the control of gene expression by Myb proteins.