title: Activator-induced conformational change in general transcription factor TFIIB.
abstract: Transcriptional activator proteins (activators) function, at least in part, by increasing preinitiation complex assembly (for reviews see refs 1-4). Previous studies have shown that an acidic activator forms a contact with the general transcription factor TFIIB (refs 5-7) and recruits it into the preinitiation complex. Mutational studies indicate that this interaction between the acidic activator and TFIIB is required for transcriptional stimulation. We show here that the acidic activator-TFIIB interaction has an additional function in preinitiation complex assembly. We provide evidence that in native TFIIB the amino- and carboxy-terminal domains are engaged in an intramolecular interaction. The acidic activator disrupts this intramolecular interaction to expose binding sites for general transcription factors that enter the preinitiation complex through association with TFIIB. Thus, the acidic activator induces a conformational change in TFIIB that drives preinitiation complex assembly forward.
authors.affiliation: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Worcester 01605.
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Green
mesh_terms: D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000378:metabolism; D017405:Herpes Simplex Virus Protein Vmw65 / Q000378:metabolism; D009154:Mutation; D011485:Protein Binding; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D035581:Transcription Factor TFIIB; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D017405:Herpes Simplex Virus Protein Vmw65; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D035581:Transcription Factor TFIIB; D014157:Transcription Factors; D005982:Glutathione Transferase