Cryo-EM Reveals Promoter DNA Binding and Conformational Flexibility of the General Transcription Factor TFIID

Summary, in English

The general transcription factor IID (TFIID) is required for initiation of RNA polymerase II-dependent transcription at many eukaryotic promoters. TFIID comprises the TATA-binding protein (TBP) and several conserved TBP-associated factors (TAFs). Recognition of the core promoter by TFIID assists assembly of the preinitiation complex. Using cryo-electron microscopy in combination with methods for ab initio single-particle reconstruction and heterogeneity analysis, we have produced density maps of two conformational states of Schizosaccharomyces pombe TFIID, containing and lacking TBP. We report that TBP-binding is coupled to a massive histone-fold domain rearrangement. Moreover, docking of the TBP-TAF1(N-terminus) atomic structure to the THID map and reconstruction of a TAF-promoter DNA complex helps to account for TAF-dependent regulation of promoter-TBP and promoter-TAF interactions.

• Author: Hans Elmlund; Vera Baraznenok; Tomas Linder; Zsolt Szilagyi; Reza Rofougaran; Anders Hofer; Hans Hebert; Martin Lindahl; Claes M. Gustafsson
• Department/s: Biochemistry and Structural Biology
• Publishing year: 2009
• Language: English
• Pages: 1442-1452
• Publication/Series: Structure
• Volume: 17
• Issue: 11
• Links: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.str.2009.09.007
• Document type: Journal article
• Publisher: Cell Press
• Topic: Biological Sciences
• Status: Published
• ISBN/ISSN/Other: ISSN: 0969-2126