Yeast Gal11 and transcription factor IIE function through a common pathway in transcriptional regulation

The global transcription regulator Gal11, a component of RNA polymerase II holoenzyme, is required for full expression of many genes in yeast. We previously reported that Gal11 binds the small (Tfa2) and large (Tfa1) subunits of the general transcription factor (TF) IIE through Gal11 functional domains A and B, respectively. Here we demonstrate that the C-terminal basic region in Tfa2 is responsible for binding to domain A, whereas both the N-terminal hydrophobic and internal glutamic acid-rich regions in Tfa1 are responsible for binding to domain B. Yeast cells bearing a C-terminal deletion encompassing the Gal11-interacting region in each of the two TFIIE subunits, being viable, exhibited no obvious phenotype. In contrast, combination of the two deletions (TFIIE-DeltaC) showed phenotypes similar to those of gal11 null mutations. The levels of mRNA from TATA-containing genes, but not from TATA-less genes, decreased in TFIIE-DeltaC to an extent comparable to that in the gal11 null mutant. Combination of TFIIE-DeltaC with a gal11 null mutation did not result in an enhanced effect, suggesting that both TFIIE and Gal11 act in a common regulatory pathway. In a reconstituted cell-free system, Gal11 protein stimulated basal transcription in the presence of wild-type TFIIE. Such a stimulation was not seen in the presence of TFIIE-DeltaC.