Summarizing Eukaryotic Transcription Gene Regulation

Summary

To start transcription, general transcription factors, such as TFIID, TFIIH, and others, must first bind to the TATA box and recruit RNA polymerase to that location. The binding of additional regulatory transcription factors to cis-acting elements will either increase or prevent transcription. In addition to promoter sequences, enhancer regions help augment transcription. Enhancers can be upstream, downstream, within a gene itself, or on other chromosomes. Transcription factors bind to enhancer regions to increase or prevent transcription.

Glossary

cis-acting element

transcription factor binding sites within the promoter that regulate the transcription of a gene adjacent to it

enhancer

segment of DNA that is upstream, downstream, perhaps thousands of nucleotides away, or on another chromosome that influence the transcription of a specific gene

trans-acting element

transcription factor binding site found outside the promoter or on another chromosome that influences the transcription of a particular gene

transcription factor binding site

sequence of DNA to which a transcription factor binds