3C2I

The Crystal Structure of Methyl-CpG Binding Domain of Human MeCP2 in Complex with a Methylated DNA Sequence from BDNF

• PDB DOI: https://doi.org/10.2210/pdb3C2I/pdb
• NAKB: 3C2I

• Classification: Transcription regulator
• Organism(s): Homo sapiens
• Expression System: Escherichia coli
• Mutation(s): Yes 


• Deposited: 2008-01-25 Released: 2008-05-13 
• Deposition Author(s): Ho, K.L., McNae, I.W., Schmiedeberg, L., Klose, R.J., Bird, A.P., Walkinshaw, M.D.

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Experimental Data Snapshot

• Method: X-RAY DIFFRACTION
• Resolution: 2.50 Å
• R-Value Free: 0.276 
• R-Value Work: 0.212 
• R-Value Observed: 0.215 

Literature

MeCP2 binding to DNA depends upon hydration at methyl-CpG

Ho, K.L., McNae, I.W., Schmiedeberg, L., Klose, R.J., Bird, A.P., Walkinshaw, M.D.

(2008) Mol Cell 29: 525-531

• PubMed: 18313390 
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2007.12.028
• Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
  3C2I


• PubMed Abstract: 
  

  MeCP2 is an essential transcriptional repressor that mediates gene silencing through binding to methylated DNA. Binding specificity has been thought to depend on hydrophobic interactions between cytosine methyl groups and a hydrophobic patch within the methyl-CpG-binding domain (MBD). X-ray analysis of a methylated DNA-MBD cocrystal reveals, however, that the methyl groups make contact with a predominantly hydrophilic surface that includes tightly bound water molecules. This suggests that MeCP2 recognizes hydration of the major groove of methylated DNA rather than cytosine methylation per se. The MeCP2-DNA complex also identifies a unique structural role for T158, the residue most commonly mutated in Rett syndrome.

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Organizational Affiliation: 

School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, King's Buildings, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JR, UK.

Biological Assembly 1  

Global Symmetry: Asymmetric - C1 
Global Stoichiometry: Monomer - A1 

Biological assembly 1 assigned by authors and generated by PISA (software)

Macromolecule Content

• Total Structure Weight: 23.58 kDa 
• Atom Count: 1,447 
• Modelled Residue Count: 112 
• Deposited Residue Count: 137 
• Unique protein chains: 1
• Unique nucleic acid chains: 2

Macromolecules

Entity ID: 1
Molecule	Chains	Sequence Length	Organism	Details	Image
Methyl-CpG-binding protein 2	A	97	Homo sapiens	Mutation(s): 1  Gene Names: MECP2
UniProt & NIH Common Fund Data Resources
Find proteins for P51608 (Homo sapiens) Explore P51608  Go to UniProtKB:  P51608
PHAROS:  P51608 GTEx:  ENSG00000169057

Entity ID: 2
Molecule	Chains	Length	Organism	Image
DNA (5'-D(*DTP*DCP*DTP*DGP*DGP*DAP*DAP*(5CM)P*DGP*DGP*DAP*DAP*DTP*DTP*DCP*DTP*DTP*DCP*DTP*DA)-3')	B	20	N/A

Entity ID: 3
Molecule	Chains	Length	Organism	Image
DNA (5'-D(*DAP*DTP*DAP*DGP*DAP*DAP*DGP*DAP*DAP*DTP*DTP*DCP*(5CM)P*DGP*DTP*DTP*DCP*DCP*DAP*DG)-3')	C	20	N/A

Small Molecules

Modified Residues  1 Unique
ID	Chains	Type	Formula	2D Diagram	Parent
MSE	A	L-PEPTIDE LINKING	C5 H11 N O2 Se		MET

Experimental Data & Validation

Experimental Data

• Method: X-RAY DIFFRACTION
• Resolution: 2.50 Å
• R-Value Free: 0.276 
• R-Value Work: 0.212 
• R-Value Observed: 0.215 
• Space Group: C 1 2 1

Unit Cell:

Length ( Å )	Angle ( ˚ )
a = 79.71	α = 90
b = 53.6	β = 132.1
c = 65.73	γ = 90

Software Package:

Software Name	Purpose
MOSFLM	data reduction
SCALA	data scaling
SOLVE	phasing
RESOLVE	phasing
REFMAC	refinement
PDB_EXTRACT	data extraction

Structure Validation

Entry History 

Deposition Data

• Released Date: 2008-05-13 
Deposition Author(s): Ho, K.L., McNae, I.W., Schmiedeberg, L., Klose, R.J., Bird, A.P., Walkinshaw, M.D.

Revision History  

• Version 1.0: 2008-05-13
  Type: Initial release
  
• Version 1.1: 2011-07-13
  Changes: Version format compliance
• Version 1.2: 2017-01-11
  Changes: Other
• Version 1.3: 2021-11-10
  Changes: Database references, Derived calculations
• Version 1.4: 2024-11-20
  Changes: Data collection, Structure summary