Distinct requirements for C.elegans TAF(II)s in early embryonic transcription.
TAF(II)s are conserved components of the TFIID, TFTC and SAGA-related mRNA transcription complexes. In yeast (y), yTAF(II)17 is required broadly for transcription, but various other TAF(II)s appear to have more specialized functions. It is important to determine how TAF(II)s contribute to transcription in metazoans, which have larger and more diverse genomes. We have examined TAF(II) functions in early Caenorhabditis elegans embryos, which can survive without transcription for several cell generations. We show that taf-10 (yTAF(II)17) and taf-11 (yTAF(II)25) are required for a significant fraction of transcription, but apparently are not needed for expression of multiple developmental and other metazoan-specific genes. In contrast, taf-5 (yTAF(II)48; human TAF(II)130) seems to be required for essentially all early embryonic mRNA transcription. We conclude that TAF-10 and TAF-11 have modular functions in metazoans, and can be bypassed at many metazoan-specific genes. The broad involvement of TAF-5 in mRNA transcription in vivo suggests a requirement for either TFIID or a TFTC-like complex.
Walker
A K
AK
Center for Blood Research and Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, 200 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Rothman
J H
JH
Shi
Y
Y
Blackwell
T K
TK
D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D004257:DNA Polymerase II / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D035381:TATA-Binding Protein Associated Factors; D035362:Transcription Factor TFIID; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D019473:Transcription Factors, TFII / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; C106785:TAF1 protein, S cerevisiae; C101882:TAF4 protein, human; C116141:TAF9 protein, S cerevisiae; D035381:TATA-Binding Protein Associated Factors; D035362:Transcription Factor TFIID; D014157:Transcription Factors; D019473:Transcription Factors, TFII; D012313:RNA; D004257:DNA Polymerase II