Final answer:
The two main characteristics of a TATA-driven promoter are the presence of a TATA box, which is a binding site for transcription factors, and the transcription initiation site where transcription begins. The TATA box and the transcription initiation site together facilitate the assembly of a transcription initiation complex necessary for gene expression.
Step-by-step explanation:
The two main characteristics of a TATA-driven promoter are a TATA box and a transcription initiation site. The TATA box is a DNA sequence, usually of a consensus sequence 5'-TATAAA-3', which is located within the core promoter region, 25 to 35 bases upstream from the transcription initiation site. The TATA box acts as a critical component for the binding of transcription factors that are necessary for the formation of the transcription initiation complex. Transcription factors such as TFIID bind to the TATA box, which then recruits other factors and RNA polymerase to the promoter, leading to the initiation of transcription.
It's also worth noting that while the TATA box is common in promoters of both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, other elements can vary. For example, additional promoter-proximal elements such as the CAAT box and the GC box may also be present in eukaryotic promoters, contributing to transcription regulation. These are not the main characteristics of the TATA-driven promoter but rather additional elements that can affect gene expression.