(Press-News.org) VIDEO:
The human TFIID core complex contains two copies each of TAF4 (green), TAF5 (red), TAF6 (blue), TAF9 (light blue) and TAF12 (light green). The density determined by cryo-electron microscopy is...
Click here for more information.
A research team of scientists from EMBL Grenoble and the IGBMC in Strasbourg, France, have, for the first time, described in molecular detail the architecture of the central scaffold of TFIID: the human protein complex essential for transcription from DNA to mRNA. The study, published today in Nature, opens new perspectives in the study of transcription and of the structure and mechanism of other large multi-protein assemblies involved in gene regulation.
By controlling the transcription of DNA into messenger RNA, TFIID forms the cornerstone of the machinery that controls gene expression in our cells. Despite its crucial role, very little was known about its architecture. TFIID is present at very low levels in cells, and it is a very large protein complex made of 20 subunits: this combination largely prevented previous attempts to purify it and decipher its structure and function in molecular detail. Even the most advanced methods for recombinant protein production met their limits when trying to produce its various subunits in the right proportions.
The solution to this bottleneck came from studying the strategy certain viruses, such as Coronaviruses, use when they replicate: they produce very long protein chains that are then divided into individual proteins. Mimicking this technique led to highly abundant and correctly assembled complexes of the core scaffold of TFIID (comprising 10 subunits), which could be purified and analysed at high resolution by combining electron microscopy and data from X-ray crystallography.
This ground-breaking analysis reveals the inner workings of the core-complex of human TFIID in unprecedented detail. It shows that some of its subunits adopt a very defined structure, whereas other parts appear to adopt intricate, extended geometries winding like worms through the complex, holding it together. The overall architecture of the complex is symmetric; however, the authors describe how it becomes asymmetric when it binds to other subunits to finally form the complete TFIID complex.
"We know now in some detail what the core of TFIID looks like, and what happens when further subunits are bound. We believe that we have opened the door to determining the architecture of the entire human TFIID complex in the near future, and likewise of other large multiprotein assemblies involved in gene regulation, and to explain their roles in catalysing biological function," concludes Imre Berger, coordinator of the study at EMBL.
###
The study involved the research groups of Imre Berger and Christiane Schaffitzel at the EMBL Grenoble, and the research groups of Patrick Schultz and Laszlo Tora at the IGBMC in Strasbourg.
Protein production: Going viral
Architecture of essential human transcription factor revealed
2013-01-07
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Even brief interruptions spawn errors
2013-01-07
EAST LANSING, Mich. — Short interruptions – such as the few seconds it takes to silence that buzzing smartphone – have a surprisingly large effect on one's ability to accurately complete a task, according to new research led by Michigan State University.
The study, in which 300 people performed a sequence-based procedure on a computer, found that interruptions of about three seconds doubled the error rate.
Brief interruptions are ubiquitous in today's society, from text messages to a work colleague poking his head in the door and interrupting an important conversation. ...
15 new planets hint at 'traffic jam' of moons in habitable zone
2013-01-07
Volunteers from the Planethunters.org website, part of the Oxford University-led Zooniverse project, have discovered 15 new planet candidates orbiting in the habitable zones of other stars.
Added to the 19 similar planets already discovered in habitable zones, where the temperature is neither too hot nor too cold for liquid water, the new finds suggest that there may be a 'traffic jam' of all kinds of strange worlds in regions that could potentially support life.
Rather than being seen directly, the new planet candidates were found by Planethunters.org volunteers looking ...
3-D color X-Ray imaging radically improved for identifying contraband, corrosion or cancer
2013-01-07
Scientists at The University of Manchester have developed a camera that can be used to take powerful three dimensional colour X-ray images, in near real-time, without the need for a synchrotron X-ray source.
Its ability to identify the composition of the scanned object could radically improve security screening at airports, medical imaging, aircraft maintenance, industrial inspection and geophysical exploration.
The X-Ray system developed by Professor Robert Cernik and colleagues from The School of Materials can identify chemicals and compounds such as cocaine, semtex, ...
Why do age-related macular degeneration patients have trouble recognizing faces?
2013-01-07
Philadelphia, Pa. (January 7, 2012) - Abnormalities of eye movement and fixation may contribute to difficulty in perceiving and recognizing faces among older adults with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), suggests a study "Abnormal Fixation in Individuals with AMD when Viewing an Image of a Face" appearing in the January issue of Optometry and Vision Science, official journal of the American Academy of Optometry. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part ofWolters Kluwer Health.
Unlike people with normal vision focus, those with AMD don't ...
Captive hyenas outfox wild relatives
2013-01-07
When it comes to solving puzzles, animals in captivity are, well, different animals than their wild brethren.
Testing animals' ability to solve new problems has been historically conducted on animals in captivity. Only recently has a shift been made to run these tests on animals in their natural habitat. In a study appearing in Animal Behaviour, however, researchers at Michigan State University found vast differences in the problem solving skills between captive and wild spotted hyenas.
Applying lessons learned from captive animals is potentially problematic because ...
Peanut therapy shows promise in treating peanut allergy
2013-01-07
WHAT:
A new study supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) suggests that sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) can reduce the allergic response to peanut in adolescents and adults. SLIT is a treatment approach in which, under medical supervision, people place a small amount of allergen under the tongue to decrease their sensitivity to the allergen. This is one of the first randomized, placebo-controlled studies to test the efficacy and safety of SLIT to treat peanut allergy and is one of several federally funded trials investigating immune-based approaches to ...
Cell loss in the brain relates to variations in individual symptoms in Huntington's disease
2013-01-07
Amsterdam, NL, 7 January 2013 – Scientists have wrestled to understand why Huntington's disease, which is caused by a single gene mutation, can produce such variable symptoms. An authoritative review by a group of leading experts summarizes the progress relating cell loss in the striatum and cerebral cortex to symptom profile in Huntington's disease, suggesting a possible direction for developing targeted therapies. The article is published in the latest issue of the Journal of Huntington's Disease.
Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited progressive neurological disorder ...
New compound overcomes drug-resistant Staph infection in mice
2013-01-07
CHAMPAIGN, lll. — Researchers have discovered a new compound that restores the health of mice infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), an otherwise dangerous bacterial infection. The new compound targets an enzyme not found in human cells but which is essential to bacterial survival.
The research team, led by scientists at the University of Illinois and the University of California, San Diego, reports the new findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The team discovered and developed several compounds that are promising ...
Targeting use of acid-suppressants in hospital patients
2013-01-07
Gastrointestinal bleeds which occur in the hospital, although rare, are a significant source of morbidity and mortality when they occur. Currently, the prophylactic use of acid-suppressive medication in non-critically ill patients in the hospital is not widely recommended. Despite this, these medications continue to be widely utilized for this purpose.
Shoshana Herzig from the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Massachusetts, USA, and her colleagues believe that there is a group of patients whose risk of gastrointestinal bleeds is high enough to warrant the routine ...
Modern parenting may hinder brain development, research shows
2013-01-07
Social practices and cultural beliefs of modern life are preventing healthy brain and emotional development in children, according to an interdisciplinary body of research presented recently at a symposium at the University of Notre Dame.
"Life outcomes for American youth are worsening, especially in comparison to 50 years ago," says Darcia Narvaez, Notre Dame professor of psychology who specializes in moral development in children and how early life experiences can influence brain development.
"Ill-advised practices and beliefs have become commonplace in our culture, ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
World’s largest rays may be diving to extreme depths to build mental maps of vast oceans
Can we hear gravitational-wave "beats" in the rhythm of pulsars?
New survey shows many are unaware of advancements in obstetrics care
New combination therapy shows promise for aggressive lymphoma resistant to immunotherapy
Photocatalytic olefin double bond cleavage acylation
Unveiling the impact of compound drought and wildfire events on PM2.5 air pollution in the era of climate change
A bioadhesive sponge inspired by mussels and extracellular matrix offers a new way to stop internal bleeding
Poorer health linked to more votes for Reform UK, 2024 voting patterns suggest
Loneliness and social isolation linked to heightened risk of death in those with cancer
Ditch ‘shrink it and pink it’ approach to women’s running shoes, manufacturers urged
Domestic abusers forge ‘trauma bonds’ with victims before violence begins
UK food needs radical transformation on scale not seen since Second World War, new report finds
New AI tool makes medical imaging process 90% more efficient
Nitrogen-fortified nanobiochar boosts soil health and rice productivity
Generative art enhances virtual shopping experience
Fluid-based laser scanning for brain imaging
Concordia study links urban heat in Montreal to unequal greenspace access
Hidden patterns link ribosomal RNAs to genes of the nervous system
Why does losing the Y chromosome make some cancers worse? New $6.5 million NIH grant could provide clues
Xiao receives David W. Robertson Award for Excellence in Medicinal Chemistry
Boron isotopes reveal how nuclear waste glass slowly dissolves over time
Biochar helps Mediterranean vineyards hold water and fight erosion
Checking the quality of materials just got easier with a new AI tool
Does hiding author names make science fairer?
Fatal Attraction: Electric charge connects jumping worm to aerial prey
Rice physicists probe quark‑gluon plasma temperatures, helping paint more detailed picture of big bang
Cellular railroad switches: how brain cells route supplies to build memories
Breast cancer startup founded by WashU Medicine researchers acquired by Lunit
Breakthrough brain implant from NYU Abu Dhabi enables safer, more precise drug delivery
Combining non-invasive brain stimulation and robotic rehabilitation improves motor recovery in mouse stroke model
[Press-News.org] Protein production: Going viralArchitecture of essential human transcription factor revealed