The TATA box is a DNA sequence found in the promoter region that helps initiate transcription of genes in eukaryotes. Transcription factors bind to the TATA box, allowing RNA polymerase to begin transcription. Genes without a TATA box use other promoter sequences for transcription.
In living organisms, transcription of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is the initial step required for the expression of a gene. The TATA box, also known as the Goldberg-Hogness box, is a region of DNA that helps initiate the transcription process. It is part of the promoter region, which regulates gene expression by providing a binding site for enzymes involved in gene transcription. The TATA box is found in eukaryotes, organisms that have complex membrane-bound structures within their cells, including humans.
DNA is made up of nucleotides, repeating structural units that come in four varieties: the nitrogenous bases adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G), and cytosine (C). When these bases repeat, they form patterns that encode genetic information. They also form pairs by bonding chemically in a complementary fashion, with adenine binding to thymine and guanine binding to cytosine. Base pairs connect the two strands of a DNA molecule in a double helix structure.
When DNA is transcribed, enzymes split the double helix into its constituent strands, exposing the genetic code for duplication. Each DNA strand is used as a template to synthesize a ribonucleic acid (RNA) strand. An enzyme known as RNA polymerase builds the RNA chain by attaching complementary nucleobases to each exposed DNA strand.
For complete genes to be transcribed into messenger RNA (mRNA) for eventual expression, RNA polymerase must initiate transcription at the correct point in the DNA sequence. This point, known as the start site, is indicated by a promoter region that lies slightly upstream of the gene. The TATA box is a DNA sequence, consisting of TATAAA nucleobases, located in the promoter region about 25 base pairs before the transcription site.
Proteins known as transcription factors bind to the TATA box. One of these, TATA binding protein (TBP), is specific for TATA, while the others may be able to bind to non-TATA promoter regions. RNA polymerase is able to recognize the presence of transcription factors as a signal to bind to that location. After binding to the TATA box, the RNA polymerase is at the start site and can now begin transcription of the gene.
Most gene promoter regions do not contain a TATA box. In genes without TATA, transcription factors recognize other promoter sequences and RNA polymerase binds to these instead. Researchers discovered differences in regulation between genes with the TATA box and those without the TATA box by studying model organisms such as the yeast Saccharomyces and the fruit fly Drosophila.
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