Drosophila TAFII150: similarity to yeast gene TSM-1 and specific binding to core promoter DNA

Science. 1994 May 13;264(5161):933-41. doi: 10.1126/science.8178153.

Abstract

In Drosophila and human cells, the TATA binding protein (TBP) of the transcription factor IID (TFIID) complex is tightly associated with multiple subunits termed TBP-associated factors (TAFs) that are essential for mediating regulation of RNA polymerase II transcription. The Drosophila TAFII150 has now been molecularly cloned and biochemically characterized. The deduced primary amino acid sequence of dTAFII150 reveals a striking similarity to the essential yeast gene, TSM-1. Furthermore, like dTAFII150, the TSM-1 protein is found associated with the TBP in vivo, thus identifying the first yeast homolog of a TAF associated with TFIID. Both the product of TSM-1 and dTAFII150 bind directly to TBP and dTAFII250, demonstrating a functional similarity between human and yeast TAFs. Surprisingly, DNA binding studies indicate that purified recombinant dTAFII150 binds specifically to DNA sequences overlapping the start site of transcription. The data demonstrate that at least one of the TAFs is a sequence-specific DNA binding protein and that dTAFII150 together with TBP are responsible for TFIID interactions with an extended region of the core promoter.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • DNA / metabolism*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / chemistry
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Drosophila
  • Drosophila Proteins*
  • Genes, Fungal
  • Genes, Insect
  • Histone Acetyltransferases
  • Humans
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic*
  • RNA Polymerase II / metabolism
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / genetics
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins*
  • Sequence Alignment
  • TATA Box
  • TATA-Binding Protein Associated Factors*
  • TATA-Box Binding Protein
  • Transcription Factor TFIID
  • Transcription Factors / chemistry
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Drosophila Proteins
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins
  • TAF2 protein, S cerevisiae
  • TAF2 protein, human
  • TATA-Binding Protein Associated Factors
  • TATA-Box Binding Protein
  • Taf2 protein, Drosophila
  • Transcription Factor TFIID
  • Transcription Factors
  • DNA
  • Histone Acetyltransferases
  • TATA-binding protein associated factor 250 kDa
  • RNA Polymerase II

Associated data

  • GENBANK/X79243