PMID: 17227857 , Related PDB id: 2NXP

Authors:

Bhattacharya S, Takada S, Jacobson RH

Title:

Structural analysis and dimerization potential of the human TAF5 subunit of TFIID.

Journal:

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 Jan 23;104(4):1189-94. Epub 2007 Jan 16.

Abstract:

TFIID is an essential factor required for RNA polymerase II transcription but remains poorly understood because of its intrinsic complexity. Human TAF5, a 100-kDa subunit of general transcription factor TFIID, is an essential gene and plays a critical role in assembling the 1.2 MDa TFIID complex. We report here a structural analysis of the TAF5 protein. Our structure at 2.2-A resolution of the TAF5-NTD2 domain reveals an alpha-helical domain with distant structural similarity to RNA polymerase II CTD interacting factors. The TAF5-NTD2 domain contains several conserved clefts likely to be critical for TFIID complex assembly. Our biochemical analysis of the human TAF5 protein demonstrates the ability of the N-terminal half of the TAF5 gene to form a flexible, extended dimer, a key property required for the assembly of the TFIID complex.