The archaeal basal transcriptional machinery consists of TBP (TATA-binding protein), TFB (transcription factor B; a homologue of eukaryotic TFIIB) and an RNA polymerase that is structurally very similar to eukaryotic RNA polymerase II. This constellation of factors is sufficient to assemble specifically on a TATA box-containing promoter and to initiate transcription at a specific start site. We have used this system to study the functional interaction between basal transcription factors and RNA polymerase, with special emphasis on the post-recruitment function of TFB. A bioinformatics analysis of the B-finger of archaeal TFB and eukaryotic TFIIB reveals that this structure undergoes rapid and apparently systematic evolution in archaeal and eukaryotic evolutionary domains. We provide a detailed analysis of these changes and discuss their possible functional implications.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
January 2006
Issue Editors
Conference Article|
January 01 2006
Modulation of RNA polymerase core functions by basal transcription factor TFB/TFIIB
Finn Werner
;
Finn Werner
1Imperial College London, Division of Cell and Molecular Biology, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
Search for other works by this author on:
Simone Wiesler
;
Simone Wiesler
1Imperial College London, Division of Cell and Molecular Biology, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
Search for other works by this author on:
Sven Nottebaum
;
Sven Nottebaum
1Imperial College London, Division of Cell and Molecular Biology, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
Search for other works by this author on:
Robert O.J. Weinzierl
Robert O.J. Weinzierl
1
1Imperial College London, Division of Cell and Molecular Biology, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
1To whom correspondence should be addressed (email r.weinzierl@imperial.ac.uk).
Search for other works by this author on:
Biochem Soc Symp (2006) 73: 49–58.
Citation
Stefan G.E. Roberts, Robert O.J. Weinzierl, Robert J. White, Finn Werner, Simone Wiesler, Sven Nottebaum, Robert O.J. Weinzierl; Modulation of RNA polymerase core functions by basal transcription factor TFB/TFIIB. Biochem Soc Symp 1 January 2006; 73 49–58. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/bss0730049
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Sign in to your personal account
You could not be signed in. Please check your email address / username and password and try again.
Biochemical Society Member Sign in
Sign InSign in via your Institution
Sign in via your InstitutionGet Access To This Article
5
Views
0
Citations
Cited By
Related Articles
Probing Zn2+-binding effects on the zinc-ribbon domain of human general transcription factor TFIIB
Biochem J (March,2004)
Oestrogen receptor facilitates the formation of preinitiation complex assembly: involvement of the general transcription factor TFIIB
Biochem J (December,1998)
Basal and regulated transcription in Archaea
Biochem Soc Trans (August,2001)
Core promoter elements recognized by transcription factor IIB
Biochem Soc Trans (October,2006)