RNA Polymerase II transcription independent of TBP (CUT&Tag)

Using CUT&Tag, a chromatin profiling technique, we show that TBP depletion via IAA surprisingly does not affect RNA Pol II transcription but affects RNA Pol III transcription. Additionally, induction of genes via heat shock and retinoic acid treatment does not require TBP. We also show that a metazoan specific paralog TRF2 does not compensate for TBP for RNA Pol II transcription and that the TFIID subunit of the Pre-initiation Complex can still form with specific subunits still binding onto DNA when TBP is depleted. Chromatin profiling was done for Pol II, Pol III, TBP, TAF1, TAF4 and TFIIA in mESCs for control, IAA, HS, HSIAA, RA, RAIAA with at least 2 replicates for each condition