The general transcription factors TFIIE and TFIIH facilitate the initiation of eukaryotic mRNA transcription, which requires the melting of promoter DNA. Archaea contain a TFIIE homologue known as TFE (IPR016481), which is equivalent to the N-terminal half of TFIIEalpha. The minimal fundamental region of eukaryotic TFIIEα appears to correspond to archaeal TFE.