Complete assignment of the 1H NMR spectrum and secondary structure of the DNA binding domain of GAL4

Complete 1H NMR resonance assignments are presented for the cysteine rich region of the DNA binding domain of the yeast transcriptional activator GAL4. The protein contains short helical regions between Asp-12 and Leu-19 and between Lys-30 and Trp-36. It is clearly distinct from the C2H2 class of zinc finger protein typified by the Xenopus laevis transcription factor (TF)IIIA. We also find that the first SP(X)(X) sequence, a recently proposed DNA binding motif (residues 41 to 44), appears to be tightly packed against the metal binding domain.