Transcription regulation: no holy grail, but many treasures. Biochemical Society Annual Symposium 'Transcription UK', London, UK, 13-15 April 2005.

A report of the Biochemical Society Annual Symposium 'Transcription UK', London, UK, 13-15 April 2005.

Core promoter-dependent TFIIB conformation and a role for TFIIB conformation in transcription start site selection.

The general transcription factor TFIIB plays a central role in the selection of the transcription initiation site. The mechanisms involved are not clear, however. In this study, we analyze core promoter features that are responsible for the susceptibility to mutations in TFIIB and cause a shift in the transcription start site.

Purification and characterization of the human elongator complex.

Human Elongator complex was purified to virtual homogeneity from HeLa cell extracts. The purified factor can exist in two forms: a six-subunit complex, holo-Elongator, which has histone acetyltransferase activity directed against histone H3 and H4, and a three-subunit core form, which does not have histone acetyltransferase activity despite containing the catalytic Elp3 subunit. Elongator is a component of early elongation complexes formed in HeLa nuclear extracts and can interact directly with RNA polymerase II in solution.