L15 - Post Transcriptional Control Flashcards
At what levels can regulation of gene expression occur at
Almost every level: Transcription/translation etc.
% of genes in Drosophila and humans that have alternative splicing
40% of Drosophila
75% of Human genes
Describe alternative splicing: Optional exon
Middle exon is spliced out of the transcript
Acceptor site used of the first intron and the donor site of the last intron (so intron-exon-intron) spliced out
Describe alternative splicing: Optional intron
Where an intron is able to behave as an exon so is not spliced out
Describe alternative splicing: Mutually exclusive exons
Where exons are skipped but the two exons are mutually exclusive of each other (i.e. so if exon 1 is in one transcript an exon 2 is not) They are mutually exclusive of each other
Describe alternative splicing: Internal splice sites
Where there is a donor site within the intron so only a part of it is spliced out
Why do splice variants occur so frequently
Because donor and acceptor sites are only two bases hence they appear very frequently
What is the most spliced gene known
How many isoforms are there
Dscam - 38’000
What is an isoform
Functionally similar proteins but they do not have the same amino acid sequence - this could be as a result of alternative splicing
Describe the splicing of Dscam gene
38000 permutations of the gene
4 sets of mutually exclusive exons
What is special regarding the chromosomes in male and female drosophila
Male X
Female XX
There is no Y chromosome in drosophila
Sxl
Sex lethal
Tra
Transformer
Dsx
Double sex
What occurs to Sxl in males
Normal splicing occurs - non functional protein is produced
What occurs to Tra in males
Normal splicing occurs - non functional Tra protein is produced
What occurs to Dsx in males
Middle exon is spliced out
Forms a protein with 400AA at the N’ then a further 150 AA at the C’ this form of the protein is male specific
What occurs to Sxl in females, WHY?
Due to the DOUBLE X chr, some active Sxl is made
What is the function of active Sxl made in females (2)
Firstly feedbacks on splicing of Sxl (positive feedback) by causing the splicing out of a middle intron ==> leads to more of the active Sxl being made
Then binds to the intron;exon boundary of Tra to alter the splicing
What occurs to Tra in females
Different splicing due to the binding of sxl leads to production of functional Tra protein
What binds to the mRNA of Dsx in females to alter splicing
Functional Tra and Tra2
What occurs to DSx in females
Binding of Tra and Sxl to the mRNA of Dsx - changes the pattern of splicing and a protein with a 400AA at the N’ and then 30AA at the C’ is formed
Is N - 400 - 150 - C Dsx male or female specific
Male
Is N - 400 - 30 - C Dsx male of female specific
Female
Active sxl represses splicing by blocking …
U2AF
What type of feedback does Sxl use
Positive feedback - feedbacks on its own regualtion
What is special about an antibody gene
It has two possible positions for cleavage and poly adenylation
Describe what occurs when the cell produces the long transcript of an antibody gene
First stop codon is spliced out
Leads to the translation of a transmembrane domain