Gene Regularion Flashcards
Why is gene regulation important?
Gene regulation allows cells to respond to environmental changes, conserve resources, and differentiate into specialized cell types despite having the same DNA.
What is a promoter?
A promoter is a DNA sequence where transcription begins, as it provides a binding site for RNA polymerase.
What are transcription factors (TFs)?
Transcription factors are proteins that bind to DNA to regulate gene expression; they can be general (required for all transcription) or promoter-specific.
What is the TATA box?
The TATA box is a conserved DNA sequence (TATAAA) located 25-35 base pairs upstream of the transcription start site, essential for initiating transcription in eukaryotic genes.
What are enhancers and silencers?
Enhancers are DNA sequences that activate transcription, while silencers repress it. They act by binding specific transcription factors.
What is the role of DNA methylation and acetylation in gene regulation?
Methylation condenses DNA, silencing gene expression, while acetylation relaxes chromatin, making DNA accessible for transcription.
How does RNA interference (RNAi) regulate gene expression?
RNAi uses small interfering RNA (siRNA) or short hairpin RNA (shRNA) to degrade mRNA or inhibit its translation, silencing specific genes.
What is the difference between general and promoter-specific transcription factors?
General TFs are required for transcription of all genes, while promoter-specific TFs regulate specific genes and can activate or repress transcription.
What is chromatin remodelling
Sliding the nucleosomes along the DNA to expose the promoter region
