Maston et al. showed that in human embryonic stem cells (ESCs), only 6 of the 14 human TATA-binding protein (TBP)-associated factors (TAFs) that make up the TFIID general transcription factor are present. They found that most active promoters in ESCs are bound by TAFs 3 and 5 and that the rest are bound by a newly identified complex containing the six ESC TAFs and TBP. Knockdown of one of the ESC TAFs or ectopic expression of one of the non-ESC TAFs induces differentiation, suggesting that the unusual TAF composition is required for pluriplotency.
ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER
Maston G. A. et al. Non-canonical TAF complexes regulate active promoters in human embryonic stem cells. eLife 1, e00068 (2012)
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Stower, H. TAFs regulate stem cell promoters. Nat Rev Genet 14, 7 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrg3400
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrg3400