Chapter 11 Flashcards
Which statement(s) about Class II general transcription factors in eukaryotes is/are
true?
A) The polymerase will bind to DNA only if TFIIB is already bound at the promoter.
B) TFIIH has DNA helicase/ATPase activity for unwinding double-stranded DNA.
C) Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) can be used to identify whether a transcription factor binds to DNA at the promoter.
D) Only two of the above statements are true.
E) All of the above statements are true.
D (A and B)
T/F: Only Class II polymerases rely on transcription factors to bind to promoters.
False, all three classes rely on transcription factors.
T/F: Gene-specific transcription factors are also known as activators.
True
How many types of transcription factors are there and what are the types?
Two, general factors and gene specific factors (activators).
What are the components of a preinitiation complex?
General transcription factors and polymerase. These bind at the TSS.
What are the protein factors associated with a Class II polymerase?
TFIIA, TFIIB, TFIID, TFIIE, TFIIF, TFIIH.
Which of the following is the correct order of binding for the Class II preinitiation complex?
a. DAPolBFEH
b. BADPolHEF
c. DABPolFEH
d. DABPolHEH
e. None of the above
C
Describe the steps of the Class II preinitiation complex formation.
1) TFIID binds to DNA at the TATA box with the help of TFIIA.
2) TFIIB binds, at or near the TATA box.
3) TFIIF helps RNA Pol II to bind, extending the complex footprint to +17.
4) TFIIE binds.
5) TFIIH binds to complete the complex.
What does EMSA stand for?
Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay. AKA Gel Mobility Shift Assay.
Describe the process of a gel mobility shift assay
- Strands (either single or double strands) of DNA are radioactively labelled.
- Proteins are mixed with this DNA.
- Electrophoresis is performed with lanes for DNA alone, and DNA with protein(s). The lowest bands will be lone DNA while any DNA bound to proteins will be higher on the gel. Each lane can have one or more proteins to determine if proteins also bind to each other in the presence of the DNA.
T/F: Gel Shift can be used to detect DNA-protein interactions.
True
Is there a difference between class II promoters in vivo vs. in vitro?
Yes, in vitro we see stepwise formation of the Class II preinitiation complex. In vivo everything happens simultaneously.
Which assays were used to determine the behaviour of Class II promoters?
Footprinting (established where factors bound to DNA and the sequence)
Gel Shift (established whether a protein bound to DNA at all).
What does TFIIF bind to?
The polymerase.
What does TFIIE do?
It guides TFIIH to the preinitiation complex.
T/F: Gel shift assay cannot explain the order of protein binding.
False
T/F: TFIID is a large but simple protein.
False, it is a complex of 14 components, the TBD and 13 TAFs
T/F: TAF stands for TATA-Associated Factors
False, its TBP-Associated Factors
T/F: TBP stands for TATA-box Binding Protein
True
T/F: TFIID is highly conserved with 90% amino acid identity similarity between yeasts, humans, and plants.
False, it is 80%.
T/F: Yeast TBP can substitute for human TBP
True
T/F: The CTD of TFIID is 180 amino acids long and highly basic.
True
T/F: The CTD of TFIID can bind to the TATA box without the rest of the protein
True
T/F: TBP binds to the major groove of DNA
False, it binds to the minor groove (and this is highly unusual).
Describe how it was shown that TBP binds to the DNA, and where it does so.
It binds to the minor groove.
DNA was made but in the TATA box inosine was swapped for A, and C was swapped for T. Inosine is similar to A, but has a double bonded O where A has an amino group (and C has an amino group where T has a double bonded O). These changes mean the minor groove stays the same as in a TATA sequence, but the major groove was different.
A gel shift assay was then used to compare TATA DNA with CICI DNA. It showed that there was no difference in binding between the two.
T/F: TBP distorts DNA when it binds.
True, it bends DNA at an 80degree angle, opening the minor groove.
T/F: When TBP binds to DNA it binds when flanking prolines interchelate with DNA, locking the TBP in place.
False, it is phenylalanine (F, Phe)
Why does TBP bend DNA?
Likely to help melt the DNA to form the open promoter complex.
How do we know there are 13 TBP associated factors?
Immunoprecipitation assays.
How many functions do TAFs perform and what are they?
Three.
1) Interaction with promoter DNA
2) Interaction with activators (gene-specific TFs)
3) Enzymatic activity
Describe how it was determined that TAFs help with extended binding.
Researchers performed in vitro transcription with either TBP or TFIID and two different DNA templates, DNA with only a TATA box or DNA with a TATA box, initiator, and a downstream element.
RNA production was then measured for each using primer extension (but could have used radio labelling).
Results showed a significant increase when the 13 TAFs were present (complete TFIID).
Footprinting was then completed to confirm binding specificity.
T/F: Sp1 associates with TAF4.
True
T/F: TBP is a universal transcription factor.
True, usually.
Give reasons why TBP can be considered a universal transcription factor.
- It functions with Pol II promoters with a TATA box.
- It functions with Pol II promoters without a TATA box.
- It functions with TATA-less Pol III promoters.
- It functions with TATA-less Pol I promoters.
T/F: TBP will not bind to DNA without a TATA box, even when an initiator is present.
False. TAF1 and TAF2 bind to the initiator, and TBP will bind to them.
T/F: TBP will not bind to DAN without a TATA box if a GC box is present.
False, Sp1 will bind to TAF4, which binds to TAF1 which binds to TAF2. TBP binds to TAF1 and TAF2.
T/F: Sp1 is a general transcription factor
False, it is an activator.
How do we test the level of transcription with TBF is combined with different TAFs?
Mix in vitro and measure transcription levels.
T/F: TFIID + Sp1 is not sufficient to participate in activation.
False, but TBP + Sp1 is not.
T/F: Activation will occur if Sp1, TAF4, TAF1, and TAF2 are present.
True
Describe the experiment used to show Sp1 binds to TAF4.
Affinity chromatography was used. Beads were loaded with GC boxes and Sp1. TAFs were added and then it was determined which TAFs eluted. TAF4 did not elute.
T/F: TFIID can interact with several activators at once.
True. This can happen because there are multiple TAFs which can interact with different activators, especially since DNA is flexible.
What is the benefit of TFIID being able to interact with multiple activators at the same time?
Increased transcriptional control.
What are the enzymatic properties of TAF1?
- HIstone acetylation (adds acetyl groups to histones which activates transcription).
- Protein kinase (self-phosphorylates and phosphorylates TFIIF).
T/F: TBP is found in all preinitiation complexes.
False. Some organisms have TRF1 (TBP Related Factor 1)