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Article

  • The EMBO Journal (2007) 26, 3900 - 3909
  • doi:10.1038/sj.emboj.7601822

Published online: 16 August 2007

TBP paralogs accommodate metazoan- and vertebrate-specific developmental gene regulation

Ulrike G Jacobi1, Robert C Akkers1, Elisabeth S Pierson2, Daniel L Weeks3, John M Dagle3,4 and Gert Jan C Veenstra1

  1. Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
  2. Department of General Instruments, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
  3. Department of Biochemistry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
  4. Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA

Correspondence to:

Gert Jan C Veenstra, Department of Molecular Biology, Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Nijmegen, Mol.Biol. M850/3.79, PO Box 9101, Nijmegen 6500, The Netherlands. Tel.: +31 24 3610541; Fax: +31 24 3610520; E-mail: g.veenstra@ncmls.ru.nl

Received 20 February 2007; Accepted 16 July 2007

In addition to TATA-binding protein (TBP), a key factor for transcription initiation, the metazoan-specific TBP-like factor TLF/TRF2 and the vertebrate-specific factor TBP2/TRF3 are known to be required for transcription of specific subsets of genes. We have combined an antisense-knockdown approach with transcriptome profiling to determine the significance and biological role of TBP-independent transcription in early gastrula-stage Xenopus laevis embryos. Here, we report that, although each of the TBP family members is essential for embryonic development, relatively few genes depend on TBP in the embryo. Most of the transcripts that depend on TBP in the embryo are also expressed maternally and in adult stages, and show no functional specialization. In contrast, TLF is linked to preferential expression in embryos and shows functional specialization in catabolism. A requirement for TBP2 is linked to vertebrate-specific embryonic genes and ventral-specific expression. Therefore TBP paralogs are essential for the gene-regulatory repertoire that is directly linked to early embryogenesis.

  • Keywords:

    • embryogenesis,
    • TBP,
    • transcription