Abstract
The Gal4, Put3, and Ppr1 yeast zinc cluster proteins bind as homodimers to DNA sequences composed of palindromic CGG triplets. Spacing between the triplets specifies the target site for a given zinc cluster protein. In addition, Hap1p, another zinc cluster protein, also recognizes CGG triplets but only when oriented as a direct repeat. Unexpectedly, our results show that Leu3p, another member of this family, also recognizes CGG triplets but oriented in opposite directions and spaced by 4 nucleotides (an everted repeat or inverted palindrome: CCG-N4-CGG). This constitutes a novel DNA motif for zinc cluster proteins. Moreover, the presence of this motif was shown to be essential for in vivo activation by Leu3p of a minimal reporter containing one copy of a target site for this activator. We also provide evidence that another member of this family, Pdr3p, binds to an everted repeat spaced by 0 nucleotides (CCGCGG). Thus, our results show that three CGG motifs are used by members of the zinc cluster family: palindromes, direct repeats, and everted repeats.