Testis-specific TAF homologs collaborate to control a tissue-specific transcription program

• DOI: 10.1242/dev.01314
• Publication Date: 2004-09-30T00:13:46Z
• Authors: Mark Hiller; Xin Chen; M. Jodeane Pringle; Martin Suchorolski; Yasemin Sancak; Sridhar Viswanathan; Benjamin Bolival; Ting-Yi Lin; Susan Marino; Margaret T. Fuller
• Keywords: Spermatid; Transcription

Alternate forms of the PolII transcription initiation machinery have been proposed to play a role in selective activation cell-type-specific gene expression programs during cellular differentiation. The cannonball (can) Drosophila encodes homolog TBP-associated factor (dTAF5) protein expressed only spermatocytes, where it is required for normal genes spermatid We show that primary spermatocytes also express four additional tissue-specific TAFs: nht (homolog dTAF4), mia dTAF6), sa dTAF8) and rye dTAF12). Mutations nht, similar effects on several target involved differentiation, cause same phenotypes as mutations can, blocking both meiotic cell cycle progression mia, proteins contain histone fold domain dimerization motifs. interact structurally when co-expressed bacteria, similarly their generally homologs TAF4 TAF12, which heterodimerize. Strikingly, structural interaction tissue specific: did not with dTAF12 dTAF4 bacterial co-expression assay. propose products five encoding testis TAF collaborate an alternative TAF-containing complex regulate testis-specific program terminal differentiation male germ cells.