Site-specific functional
interactions of DNA
The molecular function of a piece of DNA occurs is a result of its
interactions with a series of protein or RNA
molecules, including polymerases,
regulatory proteins, transcription factors, etc. These bind the DNA at specific positions,
called docking
sites, which often include recognizable sequence motifs
that indicate function. Sites specific to mRNA transcribed from the DNA are also recognizable.
Discovery and recognition of such sites in a novel DNA sequence may be clues to
understanding its information content.
Figures modified after
Griffiths et al. 2002, and Gonnick & Wheelis 1991; additional
text ©2016 by Steven M. Carr
