Yeast RNA polymerase II initiation factors a, b, e, and g were isolated from whole cell extract and found to be sufficient, when combined with bacterially expressed yeast transcription factor (TF) IID, to enable RNA polymerase II to utilize nine different eukaryotic promoters in vitro, and to initiate transcription at sites used in vivo. The purified factors did not contain the previously described transcription factor IIA (TFIIA). TFIIA failed to substitute for any purified factor or to stimulate transcription with the complete set of factors, indicating that its function in crude extracts is primarily as an anti-inhibitor.