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Article: DNA Footprinting
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- Genetics
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CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 The Gale Group Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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DNA Footprinting
DNA footprinting is a technique for identifying exactly where a protein binds to DNA. Knowing where a protein binds to DNA often aids in understanding how gene expression is regulated. Consequently, DNA footprinting is often part of a larger study to determine how a particular gene is controlled.
How It Works
DNA footprinting is based on the observation that when a protein binds to DNA, the DNA is protected from chemicals that would otherwise
cleave
it. In a typical DNA footprinting experiment, a DNA fragment with a suspected protein-binding site is first isolated, then labeled with a radioactive
nucleotide
or other chemical that will allow it to be detected later ...