InterPro domain: IPR019473

This entry represents the C-terminal region of subunit 8 (also known as TAF8) of the transcription factor TFIID [ 1 ]. The adjacent N-terminal region generally contains a histone fold domain ( IPR006565 ). This subunit is one of the key subunits of TFIID, being one of several general cofactors which are typically involved in gene activation to bring about the communication between gene-specific transcription factors and components of the general transcription machinery [ 2 ].

The TATA Binding Protein (TBP) Associated Factor 8 (TAF8) is one of several TAFs that bind TBP, and is involved in forming the Transcription Factor IID (TFIID) complex. TAF8 plays a role in the differentiation of preadipocyte fibroblasts to adipocytes; it is also required for the integration of TAF10 into the TAF complex. The mouse ortholog of TAF8 is called taube nuss protein (TBN), and is required for early embryonic development. TBN mutant mice exhibit disturbances in the balance between cell death and cell survival in the early embryo. TAF8 plays a role in the differentiation of preadipocyte fibroblasts to adipocytes; it is also required for the integration of TAF10 into the TAF complex. In yeast and human cells, TAFs have been found as components of other complexes besides TFIID. TAF8 is also a component of a small TAF complex (SMAT), which contains TAF8, TAF10 and SUPT7L. Several TAFs interact via histone-fold motifs. The histone fold (HFD) is the interaction motif involved in heterodimerization of the core histones and their assembly into nucleosome octamer. TAF8 contains an H4 related histone fold motif, and interacts with several subunits of TFIID, including TBP and the histone-fold protein TAF10. Currently, five HF-containing TAF pairs have been described or suggested to exist in TFIID: TAF6-TAF9, TAF4-TAF12, TAF11-TAF13, TAF8-TAF10 and TAF3-TAF10 [ 3 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 5 ].

1. The TBN protein, which is essential for early embryonic mouse development, is an inducible TAFII implicated in adipogenesis. Mol. Cell 12, 991-1001
2. The general transcription machinery and general cofactors. Crit. Rev. Biochem. Mol. Biol. 41, 105-78
3. The nuclear import of TAF10 is regulated by one of its three histone fold domain-containing interaction partners. Mol. Cell. Biol. 25, 4092-104
4. Identification of a small TAF complex and its role in the assembly of TAF-containing complexes. PLoS ONE 2, e316
5. Taube nuss is a novel gene essential for the survival of pluripotent cells of early mouse embryos. Development 127, 5449-61