GEN: Epigenetics Flashcards
what is the central dogma?
where DNA is transcribed into RNA, exported from nucleus to cytoplasm then translated into protein
what is the genome guided by?
epigenome - and Epigenetic factors help regulate gene
expression
what is DNA methylation?
addition of methyl group to cytosine to the fifth carbon of the pyrimidine ring → ie cytosine turns into 5-methyl-cytosine
the hydrogen bond with guanine is UNAFFECTED
what context do cytosines exist in genome?
CpG dinucleotides
where are CpGs found?
clusters called CpG islands
where are these islands unmethylated?
promoter regions
how do methylated CpG compare to other dinucleotides?
methylated in rest of genome but depleted in comparison
how can DNA fit into a nucleus compactly?
winding around nucleosomes with histone protein tails being modified
what are 4 histone modifications?
- acetylation
- methylation
- phosphorylation
- ubiquitylation
Each nucleosome is made of two identical subunits, each of which contains how many histones?
4
H2A, H2B, H3, and H4
what type of modifications do histone proteins undergo?
post translational
what is xist
- Xist is a long noncoding RNA
what is the function of xist?
- Xist initiates DNA methylation &
repressive chromatin process early in
development which spreads across the X chromosome from which it is transcribed
- Dosage compensation of sex chromosomes between females & males is achieved through what?
X-chromosome inactivation
what do histone codes do?
activate or shut down regions of genomes and their genes