BRD2 bridges TFIID and histone acetylation to promote transcriptional initiation

Members of the bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET) protein family play a central role in transcription by RNA Polymerase II (Pol II). Small-molecule inhibitors that block interaction between BET bromodomains and acetylated histones have been developed to achieve therapeutic benefit. However, the BET protein BRD4 does not require bromodomains to perform its major transcriptional elongation function, and the mechanisms by which other BET proteins regulate transcription remain incompletely understood. Addressing the disparity between pan-BET degraders and BRD4-specific depletion, we report that the BET protein BRD2 generally functions to promote transcriptional initiation in a bromodomain-dependent manner at both promoters and enhancers in human cells. We demonstrate that BRD2 bromodomains preferentially bind to tetra-acetylated histones harboring MOF-mediated H4K16ac, while the BRD2 C terminal domain facilitates recruitment of TFIID. Our studies provide mechanistic insight into the distinct roles of BET proteins in transcriptional initiation and elongation control for proper regulation of gene expression.