FACT complex subunit SPT16 is a
protein
Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residue (biochemistry), residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including Enzyme catalysis, catalysing metab ...
that in humans is encoded by the ''SUPT16H''
gene
In biology, the word gene has two meanings. The Mendelian gene is a basic unit of heredity. The molecular gene is a sequence of nucleotides in DNA that is transcribed to produce a functional RNA. There are two types of molecular genes: protei ...
.
Function
Transcription of protein-coding genes can be reconstituted on naked DNA with only the
general transcription factor
General transcription factors (GTFs), also known as basal transcriptional factors, are a class of protein transcription factors that bind to specific sites ( promoter) on DNA to activate transcription of genetic information from DNA to messenger ...
s and
RNA polymerase II
RNA polymerase II (RNAP II and Pol II) is a Protein complex, multiprotein complex that Transcription (biology), transcribes DNA into precursors of messenger RNA (mRNA) and most small nuclear RNA (snRNA) and microRNA. It is one of the three RNA pol ...
. However, this minimal system cannot transcribe DNA packaged into
chromatin
Chromatin is a complex of DNA and protein found in eukaryote, eukaryotic cells. The primary function is to package long DNA molecules into more compact, denser structures. This prevents the strands from becoming tangled and also plays important r ...
, indicating that accessory factors may facilitate access to DNA. One such factor,
FACT
A fact is a truth, true data, datum about one or more aspects of a circumstance. Standard reference works are often used to Fact-checking, check facts. Science, Scientific facts are verified by repeatable careful observation or measurement by ...
(facilitates chromatin transcription), interacts specifically with histones
H2A/
H2B to effect
nucleosome
A nucleosome is the basic structural unit of DNA packaging in eukaryotes. The structure of a nucleosome consists of a segment of DNA wound around eight histone, histone proteins and resembles thread wrapped around a bobbin, spool. The nucleosome ...
disassembly and transcription elongation. FACT is composed of an 80 kDa subunit and a 140 kDa subunit, the latter of which is the protein encoded by this gene.
References
Further reading
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
External links
*
{{gene-14-stub