text: TFA is a heterodimer with two subunits: one large unprocessed (subunit 1, or alpha/beta; gene name ) and one small (subunit 2, or gamma; gene name ). It was originally believed to be a heterotrimer of an alpha (p35), a beta (p19) and a gamma subunit (p12). In humans, the sizes of the encoded proteins are approximately 55 kD and 12 kD.  Both genes are present in species ranging from humans to yeast, and their protein products interact to form a complex composed of a beta barrel domain and an alpha helical bundle domain. It is the N-terminal and C-terminal regions of the large subunit that participate in interactions with the small subunit. These regions are separated by another domain whose sequence is always present in large subunits from various species but whose size varies and whose sequence is poorly conserved. A second gene encoding a large TFA subunit has been found in some higher eukaryotes.  This gene, ALF/TFIIAtau (gene name ) is expressed only in oocytes and spermatocytes, suggesting it has a TFA-like regulatory role for gene expression only in germ cells.