2. Academic Validation
  3. Conserved sequence motifs in the small subunit of human general transcription factor TFIIE

Conserved sequence motifs in the small subunit of human general transcription factor TFIIE

  • Nature. 1991 Dec 5;354(6352):401-4. doi: 10.1038/354401a0.
H Sumimoto 1,  Y Ohkuma,  E Sinn,  H Kato,  S Shimasaki,  M Horikoshi,  R G Roeder
Affiliations

Affiliation

  • 1 Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10021.
PMID: 1956404 DOI: 10.1038/354401a0
Abstract

A general initiation factor, TFIIE, is essential for transcription initiation by RNA polymerase II in conjunction with Other general factors. TFIIE is a heterotetramer containing two subunits of relative molecular mass 57,000 (TFIIE-alpha) and two of 34,000 (TFIIE-beta). TFIIE-beta is required in conjunction with TFIIE-alpha for transcription initiation. Here we report the cloning and expression of a complementary DNA encoding a functional human TFIIE-beta. Recombinant TFIIE-beta could replace the natural TFIIE-beta for transcription in conjunction with TFIIE-alpha. Amino-acid sequence comparisons reveal regions with sequence similarities to: subregion 3 of Bacterial sigma factors; a region of RAP30 (the small subunit of TFIIF) with sequence similarity to a sigma-factor subregion implicated in binding to RNA polymerase; and a portion of the basic region-helix-loop-helix motif found in several enhancer-binding proteins. These potential homologies have implications for the role of TFIIE in preinitiation complex assembly and function.

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