Lecture 3 and 4 Flashcards
Where can gene regulatory elements be found?
- Typically close to the transcriptional start site of prokaryotic genes
- Far upstream of the gene
- Downstream of the gene (eukaryotes)
- Within gene (introns; eukaryotes)
NtrC protein
Transcriptional activator
What does DNA looping allow the NtrC protein to do?
It allows the NtrC protein to directly interact with RNA polymerase to activate transcription from a distance in a process called “kissing”
Bacteriophage lambda
It is a virus that infects bacterial cells
How does bacteriophage lambda infect bacterial cells?
- The host chromosome is present inside the bacterial cell
- the lambda virus attaches to host cell and the lambda DNA gets injected.
- the lambda DNA cicularizes
2 possible pathways after bacteriophage lambda is inserted in the host cell
- Prophage pathway - under favorable growth conditions
- Lytic pathway - when the host cell is damaged
Prophage pathway
- Introduction of lambda DNA into the host chromosome.
- Integrated lambda DNA replicates along with host chromosome.
Lytic pathway
- Synthesis of viral proteins needed for the formation of new viruses.
- Rapid replication of lambda DNA and its packaging into complete viruses.
- Cell lysis releases a large number of new viruses.
Induction event
Damage to the host cell
Two gene regulatory proteins needed for initiating the switch between prophage and lytic pathways ?
Lambda repressor protein (cI) and Cro protein
what do the two gene regulatory proteins do?
They repress each other’s synthesis , giving rise to two states
Prophage state: Lambda repressor protein is made
Lytic state: Lambda cro protein is made
Prophage state
the lambda repressor occupies the operator
1. blocks synthesis of Cro
2. It activates its own synthesis
3. most bacteriophage DNA not transcribed
Lytic state
Cro occupies the operator
1. it blocks the synthesis of the lambda repressor
2. allows its own synthesis
3. most bacteriophage DNA is transcribed
the DNA is replicated, packaged, new bacteriophage released by host cell lysis
What triggers the switch between prophage and lytic states?
the induction event - the host’s response to DNA damage
Example of transcriptional cicuit
Prophage-lytic control
Transcriptional circuits
- Positive feedback loop - lambda repressor protein
- Negative feedback loop
- Flip-flop - Cro/lambda repressor switch
- feed forward loop
what can positive feedback loops be used to create?
Cell memory
Transcription regulator A will not be made because it is normally required for its own production.
However, there is an initial transient signal that turns on the expression of gene A.
Generations of cells after that will remember the signal.
Feed-forward loops
They decrease sensivity
Brief input does not accumulate, however prolonged input accumulated and an output is then generated.
Complex regulatory networks
Combinations of regulatory circuits in eukaryotic cells
Synthetic biology
Scientists can construct artificial circuits and examine their behavior in cells