Direct Promoter Binding Research Articles

Cloning and Characterization of Human TAF20/15: MULTIPLE INTERACTIONS SUGGEST A CENTRAL ROLE IN TFIID COMPLEX FORMATION

TFIID is a multiprotein complex that plays a central role in the initiation and regulation of class II transcription. Transcription factor IID (TFIID) nucleates transcription initiation complex formation by direct core promoter binding and mediates the action of transcriptional activators, in part via direct interactions with them. Molecular studies of the TFIID complex have identified multiple subunits whose potential interactions can be recapitulated in vitro with recombinant polypeptides. Here we report the cloning of human TATA box binding protein (TBP)-associated factor 20 (TAF20) and the consequent identification of an additional, related TFIID subunit, human TAF15 (hTAF15). Multiple TAF20/15 interactions have been detected within native TFIID preparations and further analyzed with recombinant subunits. Along with the demonstration of a high affinity association between TAF20/15 and TBP, the present results suggest that hTAF20/15 may complement hTAF250 in directing the association of TAFs with TBP to form a TFIID complex. Finally, we present detailed mutagenesis studies that reveal multiple, distinct interaction surfaces on the presumed globular domain of hTAF20/15 and may be used, in conjunction with structural data, to model the architecture of the TFIID multiprotein complex.

A histone octamer-like structure within TFIID.

The general transcription factor TFIID nucleates initiation complex formation through direct core promoter binding, commits promoters within chromatin to transcription, and mediates the action of transcriptional activators, a phenomenon that may correlate with enhanced TFIID recruitment or conformational changes in TFIID-promoter complexes. Molecular studies of the multiprotein TFIID complex have identified a primary TATA binding subunit (TBP), TBP-associated factors (TAFs) that interact with and mediate the function of activators and intersubunit interactions but have yielded relatively little insight into the structural organization of the complex or the actual mechanism of transcriptional activation. Here we present biochemical evidence for the structural relevance of histone homologies in the human TFIID subunits hTAF80, hTAF31 and hTAF20/15. Together with analyses of native TFIID complexes and accompanying crystallographic studies, the results suggest that there is a histone octamer-like TAF complex within TFIID.

Initiator sequences direct downstream promoter binding by human transcription factor IID

Whereas the human transcription factor IID generally interacts with only the TATA box element on most class II gene promoters, on certain promoters (e.g., the adenovirus 2 major late promoter) TFIID protects DNA sequences up to +35 base pairs downstream of the start site of transcription from DNase I cleavage. In this study, we show that Ad2 MLP sequences from −3 to +5 were sufficient to direct downstream promoter binding by TFIID when introduced into the human hsp70 gene promoter. These sequences correspond to the initiator transcription control element. Initiator mutations resulting in a loss of downstream binding demonstrated a diminished transcription efficiency in vitro. Likewise, initiator-dependent transcription stimulation required TFIID fractions capable of downstream promoter binding. Given the recent findings that immunopurified, human TFIID exhibited downstream promoter binding on the Ad2 MLP (Zhou, Q., Lieberman, P.M., Boyer, T.G. and Berk, A.J. (1992) Genes Dev. 6, 1964–1974), our data suggest that human TFIID can recognize the initiator element and that this interaction is required for maximally efficient transcription initiation.