The regulation of transcription initiation in eukaryotes is most thoroughly investigated with genes translated by RNA polymerase II. The process starts by recognition of a stretch of DNA containing a TATA sequence by a general initiation factor TFII (A - J). This involves a TATA box binding protein, too. The ternary complex formed from DNA/TBP/TFII binds more factors as well as the polymerase and thus forms the preinitiation complex (PIC).
TATA box binding proteins could be crystallized on their own or bound to DNA or even as ternary complex. The structures of these crystals were elucidated by x-ray diffraction.
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| homo | yeast | TBP | yeast | Arabidopsis |
| - | - | TFII | A yeast | B homo |
| Adenovirus | synthetic | DNA | Cyc1 | Adenovirus |
| 1tgh | 1ytb | PDB-ID | 1ytf | 1vol |
The properties of a ternary complex shall be shown here with the TBP from Arabidopsis thaliana. Use your mouse to click here.