A nucleosome-free dG-dC-rich sequence element promotes constitutive transcription of the essential yeast RIO1 gene.

RIO1 is an essential gene that encodes a protein serine kinase and is transcribed constitutively at a very low level. Transcriptional activation of RIO1 dispenses with a canonical TATA box as well as with classical transactivators or specific DNA-binding factors. Instead, a dG-dC-rich sequence element, that is located 40 to 48 bp upstream the single site of mRNA initiation, is essential and presumably constitutes the basal promoter. In addition, we demonstrate here that this promoter element comprises a nucleosome-free gap which is centered at the dG-dC tract and flanked by two positioned nucleosomes. This element is both, necessary and sufficient, for basal transcription initiation at the RIO1 promoter and, thus, constitutes a novel type of core promoter element.