The FACT complex travels with elongating RNA polymerase II and is important for the fidelity of transcriptional initiation in vivo.
The FACT complex facilitates transcription on chromatin templates in vitro, and it has been functionally linked to nucleosomes and putative RNA polymerase II (Pol II) elongation factors. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells, FACT specifically associates with active Pol II genes in a TFIIH-dependent manner and travels across the gene with elongating Pol II. Conditional inactivation of the FACT subunit Spt16 results in increased Pol II density, transcription, and TATA-binding protein (TBP) occupancy in the 3' portion of certain coding regions, indicating that FACT suppresses inappropriate initiation from cryptic promoters within coding regions. Conversely, loss of Spt16 activity reduces the association of TBP, TFIIB, and Pol II with normal promoters. Thus, FACT is required for wild-type cells to restrict initiation to normal promoters, thereby ensuring that only appropriate mRNAs are synthesized. We suggest that FACT contributes to the fidelity of Pol II transcription by linking the processes of initiation and elongation.
Mason
Paul B
PB
Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Struhl
Kevin
K
D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites / Q000235:genetics; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D006609:High Mobility Group Proteins; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012319:RNA Polymerase II / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012331:RNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D035381:TATA-Binding Protein Associated Factors; D035181:TATA-Box Binding Protein / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D035581:Transcription Factor TFIIB / Q000378:metabolism; D035362:Transcription Factor TFIID; D051758:Transcription Factor TFIIH; D019473:Transcription Factors, TFII / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D035602:Transcriptional Elongation Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D004271:DNA, Fungal; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D006609:High Mobility Group Proteins; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D012331:RNA, Fungal; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C115017:SPT15 protein, S cerevisiae; C489543:SSRP protein, Drosophila; C073680:SUA7 protein, S cerevisiae; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; C490039:TAF6 protein, S cerevisiae; D035381:TATA-Binding Protein Associated Factors; D035181:TATA-Box Binding Protein; D035581:Transcription Factor TFIIB; D035362:Transcription Factor TFIID; D019473:Transcription Factors, TFII; D035602:Transcriptional Elongation Factors; D051758:Transcription Factor TFIIH; D012319:RNA Polymerase II