Local stability involved in characterizing and controlling promoters in eukaryotes

Eukaryotic promoters with known in vivo activities have been analysed for characteristic stability patterns. Correlation of transcription yield in promoter mutants with size and stability of individual domains of the promoter stability profile supports the conclusion that eukaryotic promoters are built up by at least three elements: a region enabling the transcription ("enhancer"), with a characteristic stability pattern; an activator domain, with high GC content, whose activator potential is controlled by the domain stability and length; a trap domain, with high AT content, setting the cap site. The activated enzyme undergoes a steady deactivation process, losing half of its activity upon moving 55 bases between the activator and the trap site.