Structural highlights
Function
[TFE_SULSO] Transcription factor that plays a role in the activation of archaeal genes transcribed by RNA polymerase. Facilitates transcription initiation by enhancing TATA-box recognition by TATA-box-binding protein (Tbp), and transcription factor B (Tfb) and RNA polymerase recruitment. Not absolutely required for transcription in vitro, but particularly important in cases where Tbp or Tfb function is not optimal. It dynamically alters the nucleic acid-binding properties of RNA polymerases by stabilizing the initiation complex and destabilizing elongation complexes. Seems to translocate with the RNA polymerase following initiation and acts by binding to the non template strand of the transcription bubble in elongation complexes.[1]
Evolutionary Conservation
Check, as determined by ConSurfDB. You may read the explanation of the method and the full data available from ConSurf.
Publication Abstract from PubMed
Initiation of eukaryotic mRNA transcription requires melting of promoter DNA with the help of the general transcription factors TFIIE and TFIIH. Here we define a conserved and functionally essential N-terminal domain in TFE, the archaeal homolog of the large TFIIE subunit alpha. X-ray crystallography shows that this TFE domain adopts a winged helix-turn-helix (winged helix) fold, extended by specific alpha-helices at the N and C termini. Although the winged helix fold is often found in DNA-binding proteins, we show that TFE is not a typical DNA-binding winged helix protein, because its putative DNA-binding face shows a negatively charged groove and an unusually long wing, and because the domain lacks DNA-binding activity in vitro. The groove and a conserved hydrophobic surface patch on the additional N-terminal alpha-helix may, however, allow for interactions with other general transcription factors and RNA polymerase. Homology modeling shows that the TFE domain is conserved in TFIIE alpha, including the potential functional surfaces.
An extended winged helix domain in general transcription factor E/IIE alpha.,Meinhart A, Blobel J, Cramer P J Biol Chem. 2003 Nov 28;278(48):48267-74. Epub 2003 Sep 17. PMID:13679366[2]
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
References
- ↑ Bell SD, Brinkman AB, van der Oost J, Jackson SP. The archaeal TFIIEalpha homologue facilitates transcription initiation by enhancing TATA-box recognition. EMBO Rep. 2001 Feb;2(2):133-8. PMID:11258705 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/embo-reports/kve021
- ↑ Meinhart A, Blobel J, Cramer P. An extended winged helix domain in general transcription factor E/IIE alpha. J Biol Chem. 2003 Nov 28;278(48):48267-74. Epub 2003 Sep 17. PMID:13679366 doi:10.1074/jbc.M307874200
