Saccharomyces cerevisiae translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF1) promoter
Promoter of the S. cerevisiae TEF1 gene, one of two genes encoding translation elongation factor EF-1-alpha. Drives strong, constitutive transcription independent of carbon source or growth phase and is widely used for high-level constitutive expression of heterologous genes in yeast.
Origin: Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Characteristics
Constitutive glycolysis-independent promoter, driven by the essential TEF1 gene (encoding translation elongation factor EF-1-alpha, functionally redundant with the paralog TEF2). In comparative GFP reporter assays across native S. cerevisiae promoters, TEF1 ranks among the strongest, together with TDH3/GPD, while ADH1 produces markedly lower expression under the same conditions. Frequently used as the high-output member of tunable constitutive promoter sets built alongside GPD and ADH1.
Applications: Constitutive high-level expression of heterologous genes, selection markers, and reporter constructs in S. cerevisiae; standard choice in metabolic engineering vector sets and expression cassettes where sustained, carbon-source-independent output is required.
Limitations: Constitutive activity cannot be switched off or tuned by an inducer, so it is unsuitable for genes whose sustained overexpression is toxic; an inducible promoter such as GAL1 is preferable in that case. Drives expression from the native TEF1 locus context and is not characterized for use outside yeast.
Sequence
References
- Schirmaier et al. (1984). Identification of two genes coding for the translation elongation factor EF-1α of S. cerevisiae.. EMBO J. - Schirmaier 1984 TEF1 TEF2