The TATA-binding protein (TBP) is a general transcription factor that binds specifically to a DNA sequence called the TATA box. This DNA sequence is found about 30 base pairs upstream of the transcription start site in some eukaryotic gene promoters. TBP is a member of a small gene family of TBP-related factors. The first TBP-related factor (TRF/TRF1) was identified in the fruit fly Drosophila, but appears to be fly or insect-specific. Subsequently TBPL1/TRF2 was found in the genomes of many metazoans, whereas vertebrate genomes encode a third vertebrate family member, TBPL2/TRF3. In specific cell types or on specific promoters TBP can be replaced by one of these TBP-related factors, some of which interact with the TATA box similarly to TBP.