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Functional interaction of general transcription initiation factor TFIIE with general chromatin factor SPT16/CDC68
Author(s) -
Kang SeungWoo,
Kuzuhara Takashi,
Horikoshi Masami
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
genes to cells
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.912
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1365-2443
pISSN - 1356-9597
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2443.2000.00323.x
Subject(s) - transcription factor ii e , transcription factor ii a , biology , general transcription factor , rna polymerase ii , transcription preinitiation complex , transcription factor , transcription factor ii d , chromatin , transcription factor ii f , genetics , microbiology and biotechnology , promoter , transcriptional regulation , gene expression , gene
Background Transcriptional initiation of class II genes is one of the major targets for the regulation of gene expression and is carried out by RNA polymerase II and many auxiliary factors, which include general transcription initiation factors (GTFs). TFIIE, one of the GTFs, functions at the later stage of transcription initiation. As recent studies indicated the possibility that TFIIE may have a role in chromatin transcriptional regulation, we isolated TFIIE‐interacting factors which have chromatin‐related functions. Results Using the yeast two‐hybrid screening system, we isolated the C‐terminal part of the human homologue of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (y) Spt16p/Cdc68p, a general chromatin factor. The C‐terminal part of human SPT16/CDC68 directly interacts with TFIIE, and ySpt16p/Cdc68p also interacts with yTFIIE (Tfa1p/Tfa2p), thus indicating the existence of an evolutionarily conserved interaction between TFIIE and SPT16/CDC68. Functional interaction of yTFIIE and ySpt16p/Cdc68p was examined using a conditional yTFIIE‐α mutant strain. Over‐expression of ySpt16p/Cdc68p suppressed the phenotype of cold sensitivity of the yTFIIE‐α‐ cs mutant strain, and in vitro binding assays revealed that yTFIIE‐α‐ cs mutant protein showed diminished binding affinity to ySpt16p/Cdc68p. Conclusions These observations indicate that general transcription initiation factor TFIIE functionally interacts with general chromatin factor SPT16/CDC68, a finding which provides new insight into the involvement of TFIIE in chromatin transcription. This may well lead to a breakthrough in relationships between the transcription initiation process and structural changes in chromatin.