Abstract: ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Eukaryotic genes are controlled by proteins that assemble stepwise into a transcription complex. How the individual biochemically-defined assembly steps are coordinated and applied throughout a genome is largely unknown. Here, we model and experimentally test a portion of the assembly process involving the regulation of the TATA binding protein (TBP) throughout the yeast genome. RESULTS: Biochemical knowledge is used to formulate a series of coupled TBP regulatory reactions involving TFIID, SAGA, NC2, Mot1, and promoter DNA. The reactions are then linked to basic segments of the transcription cycle and modeled computationally. A single framework is employed, allowing the contribution of specific steps to vary from gene to gene. Promoter binding and transcriptional output are measured genome-wide using ChIP-chip and expression microarray assays. Mutagenesis is used to test the framework by shutting down specific parts of the network. CONCLUSION: The model accounts for the regulation of TBP at most transcriptionally active promoters and provides a conceptual tool for interpreting genome-wide data sets. The findings further demonstrate the interconnections of TBP regulation on a genome-wide scale.