Description |
taf-4 encodes a TAFII (TBP(TATA-binding protein)-associated factor) that is orthologous to human TAF4 (hTAFII130); TAF-4 is predicted to be a component of the TFIID mRNA transcription complex and is generally required for early embryonic mRNA transcription; consistent with this observation, taf-4(RNAi) results in embryonic lethality at the ~100-cell stage with little cell differentiation, similar to the loss of AMA-1/RNA polymerase II activity; TAF-4 is detected in nuclei in the adult germline, oocytes, and embryo, from the 2-cell stage through early morphogenesis. |