Arabidopsis homologue of human transcription factor IIH/nucleotide excision repair factor p44 can function in transcription and DNA repair and interacts with AtXPD.

Eukaryotic general transcription factor (TF) IIH is composed of 10 proteins, seven of which are also required for nucleotide excision repair (NER) of UV radiation-induced DNA damage in human cells and yeast. Plant homologues of the human TFIIH subunits XPB and XPD that function in NER have been isolated but none has been shown to operate in transcription. Here we address the capabilities of Arabidopsis thaliana AtGTF2H2 and AtXPD, homologues of the essential interacting human/yeast TFIIH components p44/Ssl1 and XPD/Rad3, respectively.