B recognition element

The B recognition element (BRE) is a DNA sequence found in the promoter region of most genes in eukaryotes and Archaea. The BRE is a cis-regulatory element that is found immediately upstream of the TATA box, and consists of 7 nucleotides.

The BRE was discovered in 1998 by Richard Ebright and co-workers

Overview
The first two nucleotides of the BRE sequence can be either guanine or cytosine. The third nucleotide is either guanine or adenine. The next four nucleotides are always the same: cytosine, guanine, cytosine, cytosine.

G/C G/C G/A C G C C.

The Transcription Factor IIB (TFIIB) recognizes this sequence in the DNA, and binds to it. The fourth and fifth alpha helices of TFIIB intercalate with the major groove of the DNA at the BRE. TFIIB is one part of the preinitiation complex that helps RNA Polymerase II bind to the DNA.