Identification of TATA-binding protein-free TAFII-containing complex subunits suggests a role in nucleosome acetylation and signal transduction

J Biol Chem. 1999 Jun 25;274(26):18285-9. doi: 10.1074/jbc.274.26.18285.

Abstract

Recently we identified a novel human (h) multiprotein complex, called TATA-binding protein (TBP)-free TAFII-containing complex (TFTC), which is able to nucleate RNA polymerase II transcription and can mediate transcriptional activation. Here we demonstrate that TFTC, similar to other TBP-free TAFII complexes (yeast SAGA, hSTAGA, and hPCAF) contains the acetyltransferase hGCN5 and is able to acetylate histones in both a free and a nucleosomal context. The recently described TRRAP cofactor for oncogenic transcription factor pathways was also characterized as a TFTC subunit. Furthermore, we identified four other previously uncharacterized subunits of TFTC: hADA3, hTAFII150, hSPT3, and hPAF65beta. Thus, the polypeptide composition of TFTC suggests that TFTC is recruited to chromatin templates by activators to acetylate histones and thus may potentiate initiation and activation of transcription.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetylation
  • Acetyltransferases / metabolism
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism
  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Histone Acetyltransferases
  • Humans
  • Macromolecular Substances
  • Multiprotein Complexes
  • Nucleosomes / metabolism*
  • RNA Polymerase II / metabolism
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins*
  • Signal Transduction*
  • TATA-Binding Protein Associated Factors*
  • TATA-Box Binding Protein
  • Trans-Activators / metabolism
  • Transcription Factor TFIID*
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Transcription Factors / physiology*
  • Transcription Factors, TFII / physiology*
  • Transcriptional Activation
  • p300-CBP Transcription Factors

Substances

  • Carrier Proteins
  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Macromolecular Substances
  • Multiprotein Complexes
  • NGG1 protein, S cerevisiae
  • Nucleosomes
  • SUPT3H protein, human
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins
  • TAF2 protein, human
  • TATA-Binding Protein Associated Factors
  • TATA-Box Binding Protein
  • Trans-Activators
  • Transcription Factor TFIID
  • Transcription Factors
  • Transcription Factors, TFII
  • Acetyltransferases
  • Histone Acetyltransferases
  • p300-CBP Transcription Factors
  • p300-CBP-associated factor
  • RNA Polymerase II