Molecular basis of facilitated target search and sequence discrimination of TALE homeodomain transcription factor Meis1

Transcription factors specifically bind to their consensus sequence motifs and regulate transcription efficiency. Transcription factors are also able to non-specifically contact the phosphate backbone of DNA through electrostatic interaction. The homeodomain of Meis1 TALE human transcription factor (Meis1-HD) recognizes its target DNA sequences via two DNA contact regions, the L1-alpha 1 region and the alpha 3 helix (specific binding mode). This study demonstrates that the non-specific binding mode of Meis1-HD is the energetically favored process during DNA binding, achieved by the interaction of the L1-alpha 1 region with the phosphate backbone. An NMR dynamics study suggests that non-specific binding might set up an intermediate structure which can then rapidly and easily find the consensus region on a long section of genomic DNA in a facilitated binding process. Structural analysis using NMR and molecular dynamics shows that key structural distortions in the Meis1-HD-DNA complex are induced by various single nucleotide mutations in the consensus sequence, resulting in decreased DNA binding affinity. Collectively, our results elucidate the detailed molecular mechanism of how Meis1-HD recognizes single nucleotide mutations within its consensus sequence: (i) through the conformational features of the alpha 3 helix; and (ii) by the dynamic features (rigid or flexible) of the L1 loop and the alpha 3 helix. These findings enhance our understanding of how single nucleotide mutations in transcription factor consensus sequences lead to dysfunctional transcription and, ultimately, human disease. Here, the authors utilise NMR and MD simulations to reveal how transcription factor Meis1 distinguishes target DNA sequences through non-specific binding.