Transcription factors: global and detailed views

During the past year, much progress has been made in understanding the stru ctural basis of transcriptional regulation. Low-resolution electron microsc opy structures of general transcription factor complexes have shed light on their global organization. These results are complemented by the structura l and biochemical analysis of individual general transcription factors. Hig h-resolution crystal structures of sequence-specific transcription factors still yield unexpected results. Detailed analysis of DNA recognition by dif ferent family members of the same Glass of sequence-specific transcription factors shows considerable variations in the way they interact with DNA.