Chapter 14 - Gene Regulation in Bacteria Flashcards
How the level of gene expression can vary under different conditions
Gene regulation
Genes that are unregulated
Constitutive genes
Gene regulation is important for cellular processes such as:
Metabolism, response to environmental stress, and cell division
When can regulation occur first?
As the gene is copied into mRNA during transcription
When can regulation occur second?
As mRNA is translated into amino acids during translation
Bind to the DNA and control the rate of transcription
Genetic regulatory proteins
When transcription terminates soon after it has begun due to the formation of a transcriptional terminator
Attenuation
Can bind to the mRNA and prevent translation from starting
Translational repressor proteins
Can produce an mRNA confirmation that prevents translation from starting
Riboswitches
Can bind to the mRNA and prevent translation from starting
Antisense RNA
When can regulation occur third?
Following translation
When the product of a metabolic pathway inhibits the first enzyme in the pathway
Feedback inhibition
Modifications to the structure of a protein that can alter its function
Covalent modifications
What is the most common way to regulate gene expression in bacteria?
Influencing the initiation of transcription
Bind to DNA and inhibit transcription
Repressors
Bind to DNA and increase transcription
Activators
Transcriptional regulation by repressor proteins
Negative control
Transcriptional regulation by activator proteins
Positive control
Small effector molecules that increase transcription
Inducers
Genes that are regulated by inducers are called…
Inducible
Molecules that bind to repressors causing them to bind to DNA
Corepressors
Molecules that bind to activators and prevent them from binding to DNA
Inhibitors
Genes that are regulated by corepressors and inhibitors are termed…
Repressible
