A transcriptionally active form of GAL4 is phosphorylated and associated with GAL80

The GAL4 activator and GAL80 repressor proteins regulate the expression of yeast genes in response to galactose. A complex of the two proteins isolated from glucose-grown cells is inactive in an in vitro transcription reaction but binds DNA and blocks activation by the GAL4-VP16 chimeric activator. The complex purified from galactose-grown cells contains a mixture of phosphorylated and unphosphorylated forms of GAL4. The galactose-induced form of GAL4 activates in vitro transcription to levels similar to those seen with GAL4-VP16. The induced GAL4 complex is indistinguishable in size and apparent shape from the uninduced complex, consistent with a continued association with GAL80. These results confirm in vivo analyses that correlate GAL4 phosphorylation with galactose induction and support a model of transcriptional activation that does not require GAL80 dissociation.