EXAM 3 Flashcards
OPERONS
Two or more genes that may be arranged together under a single promoter
PARTS OF AN OPERON
Promoter (controls the ability of RNA Polymarase to transcribe)
Two or more genes
Terminator ar end
lac OPERON
Promoter, Operator Site, CAP Site, lacZ, lacY, lacA
PROMOTER
Binds to RNA Polymerase
OPERATOR STE
Binds to the lac repressor protein
CAP SITE
Binds to Catabolite Activator Protein (CAP)
lacZ
Encodes for beta-galactosidase enzyme
This cleaves lactose into galactose and glucose
Also converts small amounts of lactose into allolactose
lacY
Encodes for lactose permease
This transports lactose and analogues into the cytoplsm
lacA
Encodes for galactose transacetylase
This covalently modifies lactose and its analogues
lacI
Not part of lac operon
Has its own promoter
Encodes for lac repressor protein
Small amount of this protein is needed
cAMP-CAP
Complex that binds to the CAP DNA site near the lac opereon promoter
REGULATORY GENE
i-promoter
lacI
CAP Site
cAMP
cyclic adenosine monophosphate
cyclic AMP
SCENERIO 1
NO Glucose: High levels of cAMP Lactose Present: allolactose is present The presence of cAMP-CAP and absence of lac repressor allow RNA Polymerase to transcribe Lactose is metabolized
SCENERIO 2
NO Glucose: High levels of cAMP NO Lactose: allolactose is not present lac I repressor is bound to operator lac I protein represses lac Z,Y,A transcription (CAP is bound) Neither sugra is metabolized
SCENERIO 3
Glucose Present: Low levels of cAMP Lactose Present: allolactose present cAMP levels low, so no cAMP-CAP compound lac I repressor is inactive (allolactose) Glucose is metabolized only
SCENERIO 4
Glucose Pesent: Low levels of cAMP NO Lactose: allolactose is not present cAMP levels low, so no cAMP-CAP compound lac I is active (no allolactose) lac I repressor binds to operator site Glucose is metabolized only
TRP OPERON
Involved in the biosynthesis of the amino acid tryptophan.
Contains trpE,D,C,B,A
trpL gene encodes a short peptide called the leader peptide that functions in attenuation
trpR gene is not part of the operon, it encodes the trp repressor
TRP OPERON PARTS
trpR, Promoter, Operator, Attenuator Sequence, trpE, trpD, trp,C, trpB, trpA
ATTENUATOR SEQUENCE
This facilitates the termination of transcription
FEATURES OF TRP OPERON AND ATTENUATION REGION
Contains 4 regions for coupling.
1-2 OR 2-3 OR 3-4
So 3 stem-loop secondary structures
If there is GC-rich, 3-4 hybridize to form a stem-loop, the U-rich region causes transcription attenuation.
SCENARIO
When tryptophan is abundant, it acts as a corepressor.
It binds to the trp repressor and activates
trp repressor binds to operator, inhibits transcription
ATTENUATION
Occurs because of coupling of translation and transcription
Occurs under high levels of tryptophan
trpL
Plays a critical role in attenuation
Encodes short peptide of 14 amino acids
This peptide contains 2 tryptophan amino acids
REGION 1
Codes for trpL peptide with 2 tryptophan amino acids
REGION 2
Complementary to region 1 and 3
REGION 3
Complementary to region 2 and 4
REGION 4
Is GC-rich followed by many Uricil, and followed by the beginning of trpE coding sequence
SCENARIO NO COUPLING
The ribosome cannot bind
1-2 hybridization
3-4 hybridization
Transcription terminates intrinsically just past trpL gene
SCENARIO HIGH TRP
Attenuation will happen
Sufficient amounts of tRNA, translation of trpL progress until STOP codon.
Regions 1-2 are blocked by ribosome
3-4 hybridization
Transcription terminates intrinsically at U-rich sequence
SCENARIO LOW TRP
No attenuation
Happens due to coupling
Ribosome stalls in trpL region 1
Region 1 is Blocked, thus region 2 hybridizes with 3
Region 4 is left alone, intrinsic termination does not occur
SCENARIO NO RNA POLYMERASE
Attenuation will happen Translation is not happening 1-2 Hybridization 3-4 Hybridization Dormant state
CATABOLISM
Breakdown of a substance
Typically inducible
EX. Lactose/allolactose metabolism
ANABLISM
Biosynthesis of a substance
Typically repressible
EX. Tryptophan synthesis
POSTTRANSLATIONAL REGULATION - FEEDBACK INHIBITION
Feedback inhibition is a common mechanism to regulate enzyme activity
- Change the allosteric enzyme configuration
- Ability to bind is impacted
- Enzyme function is inhibited
POSTTRANSLATIONAL REGULATION - MODIFICATION
Covalently modify the structure of the enzyme
Might be irreversible e.g.:
Proteolytic Processing means trimming of aa off a protein
Attachment of sugar or lipids
May be reversible e.g.:
Phosphorylation, Acetylation, Methylation
ALLOSTERIC ENZYME SITES
- Catalytic site - Binds to substrate
2. Regulatory site - Binds to final product
TRANSLATIONAL REGULATION-REPRESSORS
Repressors inhibit translation
Translational regulatory proteins are known as translational repressors
EX. Binding of repressors near the Shine-Dalgarno sequence and/or start codon sterically hinders ribosome from initiating translation