Short activation domains control chromatin association of transcription factors

Transcription factors regulate gene expression with DNA-binding domains (DBDs) and activation domains. Despite mounting evidence to the contrary, it is frequently assumed that DBDs are solely responsible for interacting with DNA and chromatin. Here, we used single-molecule tracking of transcription factors in living cells to show that short activation domains can control the fraction of molecules bound to chromatin. Stronger activation domains have higher bound fractions and longer residence times on chromatin. Furthermore, mutations that increase activation domain strength also increase chromatin binding. This trend was consistent in four different activation domains and their mutants. This effect further held for activation domains appended to three different structural classes of DBDs. Stronger activation domains with high chromatin-bound fractions also exhibited increased binding to the p300 coactivator in proximity-assisted photoactivation experiments. Taken together, these results..., , , # Data from: Short activation domains control chromatin association of transcription factors

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.41ns1rnqt](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.41ns1rnqt)

## Description of the data and file structure

Pre-processed SMT data (\"trajectories\") are organized by Figure when uncompressed from \"SMT_trajectories.zip\". (We could not deposit raw SMT movies due to storage limitations.) Raw FRAP movies are in \"FRAP_movies.zip\".

Processing steps are described in detail in the Methods section of the linked manuscript. Briefly, SMT movies are subjected to detection (which pixels have a spot?), sub-pixel localization (where is the spot center?), and tracking (which spots connect to which others in subsequent frames?). The \"trajs.csv\" files describe localizations, one spot per line, and how they are connected. Data from many cells corresponding to one condition have been aggregated and are tabulated here as single CSVs. A Bayesian mixture model computes diffusion spectra bas...,