In this video, we're going to talk more details about general transcription factors. Recall from our last lesson video that general transcription factors are called general transcription factors because they're required for the transcription of every gene in the genome of all genes. They're general because they are applied to all genes. General transcription factors are important for recruiting RNA polymerase to the promoter region of a gene. Of course, when RNA polymerase is recruited to the promoter region, then transcription can proceed.
What we haven't yet discussed is that the transcription initiation complex, which is commonly abbreviated as just TIC, is really just the entire complex of all general transcription factors and the RNA polymerase complex together. There is a specific sequence associated with eukaryotic organisms called the TATA box. The TATA box is literally just a sequence of adenines and thymines that repeat, and is located in the promoter that recruits the TIC, the transcription initiation complex. The TATA box is important for recruiting general transcription factors as well as the RNA polymerase.
If we take a look at our image down below, notice again we're showing you how general transcription factors will bind to the TATA box in the promoter and recruit RNA polymerase for transcription. Notice again, over here on the left-hand side, we're showing you this miniature map of our lesson, and we're focused on transcription here, transcriptional control, and part of that includes general transcription factors. Notice that within the promoter of the DNA, we have a specific region that has the TATA repeats, specifically the TATA box. The TATA box is important for recruiting general transcription factors.
These general transcription factors are represented as these little yellow structures that you see right here. The general transcription factors will bind to the TATA box within the promoter region. After the general transcription factors bind, they are important for recruiting RNA polymerase, allowing RNA polymerase to bind to the promoter region. Once the RNA polymerase is bound to the TATA box within the promoter region along with all of the general transcription factors, this is what we refer to as the transcription initiation complex or the TIC. At this point, transcription can proceed and start to transcribe the coding sequence.
This here concludes our brief introduction to general transcription factors. As we move forward, we'll compare this to specific transcription factors, which we'll talk about in our next video. So I'll see you all there.