MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF THE GENE ENCODING TATA-BINDING PROTEIN IN DROSOPHILA-MELANOGASTER

We have characterized a genomic clone encoding the Drosophila melanoga ster TATA-binding protein (TBP) and examined the developmental profile of TBP RNA expression. The coding region of the TBP gene is interrupt ed by a short intron. The 5'-flanking region of the gene lacks: the ty pical TATA box sequence but contains many possible regulatory sequence s which are also present in the 5'-flanking region of the Drosophila m elanogaster TFIIB gene, suggesting the expression of these general tra nscription factors may be regulated in a similar manner. RNA blot anal ysis revealed that gene encodes a 1.5 kb transcript that can be detect ed throughout development and in adults.