title: TATA-dependent and TATA-independent transcription at the HIS4 gene of yeast.
abstract: Two systems of transcription factors stimulate expression of the HIS4 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. High-level transcription induced by amino-acid starvation is mediated by Gcn4(ref.1) and basal transcription is mediated jointly by the factors Bas1 and Bas2 (Pho2). We now show that wild-type Gcn4 requires the TATA element for correct messenger RNA start-site selection, but Gcn4 derivatives with deletions in the activation domain activate HIS4 transcription at the correct mRNA start site (I) in the absence of the TATA element. Gcn4 derivatives that activate TATA-independent transcription show low levels of activation. Similarly, we find that low levels of transcription by Bas1/Bas2 are TATA-independent, whereas high levels are TATA-dependent. These results show that the HIS4 TATA element is required for mRNA start-site selection only under conditions of high-level transcription.
authors.affiliation: Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge 02142.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pellman
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: McLaughlin
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Fink
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D005800:Genes, Fungal / Q000235:genetics*; D006639:Histidine / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D011494:Protein Kinases; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics*; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D016385:TATA Box / Q000235:genetics*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000494:pharmacology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D006639:Histidine; D011494:Protein Kinases