title: Directing transcription of an RNA polymerase III gene via GAL4 sites.
abstract: A yeast chimeric RNA polymerase III transcription system was constructed to explore the ordered, multistep process of gene activation in vivo. A promoter-deficient U6 RNA gene harboring GAL4-binding sites could be reactivated by fusing the GAL4 DNA-binding domain to components of the general transcription factor TFIIIC (tau) or TFIIIB. Expression of chimeric tau 138 or tau 131 (but not tau 95) subunits activated transcription from GAL4-binding sites located at various positions, including upstream of or within the gene. The function(s) of the B block binding domain of TFIIIC was provided by the fused GAL4-(1-147) domain. The GAL4-(1-147)-TFIIIB70 fusion protein acted at a distance like an activator of transcription. In contrast, none of the 10 different GAL4-(1-147)-polymerase subunit fusions was able to induce transcription, suggesting that RNA polymerase recruitment is not sufficient to initiate transcription.
authors.affiliation: Service de Biochimie et de Génétique Moléculaire, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique, Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Marsolier
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chaussivert
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Lefebvre
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Conesa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Werner
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sentenac
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D008957:Models, Genetic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012320:RNA Polymerase III / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D016385:TATA Box; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D015533:Transcriptional Activation
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D005656:Fungal Proteins; C052130:GAL4 protein, S cerevisiae; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D012320:RNA Polymerase III