Department of Integrative Structural Biology, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR 7104, Institut National de Santé et de Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U964, Université de Strasbourg, 67404 Illkirch, France
Maxim V. Pethoukhov
The European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Hamburg Outstation, 22603 Hamburg, Germany
Serena Sirigu
Department of Integrative Structural Biology, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR 7104, Institut National de Santé et de Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U964, Université de Strasbourg, 67404 Illkirch, France
Dmitri I. Svergun
The European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Hamburg Outstation, 22603 Hamburg, Germany
Dino Moras
Department of Integrative Structural Biology, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR 7104, Institut National de Santé et de Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U964, Université de Strasbourg, 67404 Illkirch, France
Natacha Rochel
Department of Integrative Structural Biology, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR 7104, Institut National de Santé et de Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U964, Université de Strasbourg, 67404 Illkirch, France
PPARγ is a key regulator of glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitization. PPARγ must heterodimerize with its dimeric partner, the retinoid X receptor (RXR), to bind DNA and associated coactivators such as p160 family members or PGC-1α to regulate gene networks. To understand how coactivators are recognized by the functional heterodimer PPARγ/RXRα and to determine the topological organization of the complexes, we performed a structural study using small angle X-ray scattering of PPARγ/RXRα in complex with DNA from regulated gene and the TIF2 receptor interacting domain (RID). The solution structures reveal an asymmetry of the overall structure due to the crucial role of the DNA in positioning the heterodimer and indicate asymmetrical binding of TIF2 to the heterodimer.