lecture 16 - transcription & gene expression Flashcards

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1
Q

What does the central dogma of molecular biology state?

A

Information ‘flows’ from DNA to RNA to a protein, in process called gene expression.

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2
Q

What is gene expression?

A

A process in which info from a gene is used in the synthesis of a functional gene product (protein or non-coding RNA).

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3
Q

How many protein coding genes are there?

A

~20,000

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4
Q

What is a gene, in terms of DNA sequence?

A

A defined region/sequence of DNA that produces a type of RNA molecule that has a particular function.

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5
Q

What are the functions of genes?

A

Regulate RNA synthesis, produce RNA, process RNA

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6
Q

What is transcription?

A

DNA-dependent RNA synthesis that forms RNA based on the base sequence of the DNA.

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7
Q

What catalyses transcription?

A

Enzyme - RNA polymerase

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8
Q

What does RNA polymerase synthesise?

A

mRNA (messenger RNA)

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9
Q

How does RNA polymerase form mRNA?

A

By catalysing the formation of phsophodiester bonds between ribonucleotides.

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10
Q

What are the two complementary strands of DNA, in terms of transcription?

A

Coding and template strands

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11
Q

What strand is used as the template for mRNA synthesis?

A

the template strand

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12
Q

What is the direction (in terms of 3’ and 5’ groups) of the coding strand of DNA?

A

5’ to 3’

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13
Q

What is the direction (in terms of 3’ and 5’ groups) of the template strand of DNA?

A

3’ to 5’

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14
Q

What are the 3 stages of transcription?

A

Initiation, elongation, termination.

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15
Q

In transcription, what is initiation regulated by?

A

Specific DNA sequences, that code for the beginning of a gene.

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16
Q

Where do transcription factors bind in transcription?

A

the TATA box

17
Q

What is the TATA box?

A

A nucleotide sequence containing TATA found 25 nucleotides upstream from the transcription start point.

18
Q

What is the promoter in transcription?

A

A region that includes the start point and the TATA box, and all of the nucleotides in between.

19
Q

When RNA polymerase II binds to the DNA molecule in transcription, what is formed?

A

A transcriptional initiation complex.

20
Q

How is mRNA synthesised after RNA pol II binds to the template strand?

A

RNA pol II unwinds the DNA double helix and then elongation can begin.

21
Q

What is the process elongation in transcription?

A

RNA pol III moves along the DNA template strand, untwisting it in 3’ to 5’ direction, inserting complementary ribonucleotides in the 5’ to 3’ direction. As RNA strand grows, it peels away from template strand, allowing the DNA double helix to reform.

22
Q

What is the direction of transcription along the template strand in mRNA synthesis?

A

Nucleotides added from 5’ to 3’ direction of mRNA strand (3’ to 5’ on the original strand, as they are anti parallel)

23
Q

What is a ‘coding sequence’?

A

A portion of gene’s DNA that is translated into protein.

24
Q

What are UTRs in terms of transcription?

A

Untranslated regions - transcribed regions of DNA that sit adjacent to the coding sequence but are not translated. They contain regulatory elements (sequences) that influence on gene expression at the transcriptional or translational level.

25
Q

What do UTRs facilitate the addition of in terms of transcription?

A

5’G cap at the 5’ end, polyA tail at the 3’ end.

26
Q

What is the function of a 5’G cap?

A

A binding site signal for ribosomes/small ribosomal subunits that carry out translation. Prevent mRNA degradation. Promote intron excision.

27
Q

Where is the 5’G cap located?

A

At the 5’ end of the untranslated region of a section of mRNA

28
Q

Where is the poly-A tail located?

A

At the 3’ end of a section of mRNA

29
Q

What prevents the degradation of an mRNA section?

A

5’G cap and poly-A tail

30
Q

What is pre-mRNA?

A

RNA directly transcribed from DNA that has long stretches of non-coding nucleotides that will not be translated.

31
Q

How are non-coding nucleotide sections of pre-mRNA removed?

A

Via splicing (pre-mRNA processing)

32
Q

What are sections of pre-mRNA that contain sequences that will ultimately be expressed?

A

Exons - Expressed sequences

33
Q

What are the non-coding segments of pre-mRNA?

A

Introns (intervening sequences)

34
Q

What is the function of introns of mRNA?

A

They regulate gene expression.

35
Q

How are introns removed from pre-mRNA to form mature mRNA?

A

Through splicing, which removes them leaving only the exons.

36
Q

What exons remain in the mature mRNA after splicing?

A

All intermediate exons and part of the 1st exon, which the 5’UTR is part of, and part of the. last exon, which 3’UTR is part of.

37
Q

What are the molecules involved in transcription?

A

template DNA strand, RNA polymerase, transcription factors, RNA nucleotides