Lecture Notes Regulating Gene Expression Flashcards
How is gene expression regulated in prokaryotes?
Prokaryotes make certain proteins only when they are needed
To shut off the supply of a protein, the cell can
1) downregulate mRNA transcription (most effective)
2) hydrolyze mRNA, preventing translation
3) prevent mRNA translation at the ribosome
4) hydrolyze the protein after it is made
5) inhibit the proteins function
Repressor protein bound at site where RNA wants to bind and prevents initiation of transcription
Negative regulation
Activator protein enhances transcription
Positive regulation
Regulating gene transcription allows E. coli to (blank) in an ever changing environment
Conserve energy
(Blank) is the easiest sugar to metabolize
Glucose
Lactose is (blank)
B-galactoside
3 proteins needed for the uptake and metabolism of lactose
B-galactoside permease
B-galactosidase
B-galactoside transacetylase
Carrier protein that moves lactose into the cell
B-Galactoside permease
Hydrolyses lactose
B-galactosidase
Transfers acetyl groups from acetyl coA to certain b galac
B-galactoside transacetylase
(Blank) stimulates expression of B-Galactosidase
Lactose
Lactose is a (blank)
Inducer
Lactose increases or decreases mRNA
Increases
E. coli makes (blank) first before proteins
MRNA
Compounds that stimulate protein synthesis are called
Inducers
(Blank) are made at a constant rate
Constitutive proteins
2 ways to regulate metabolic pathways
- Regulation of enzyme activity
- regulation of enzyme concentration
End product feeds back, inhibiting the activity of enzyme 1 only, quickly blocking pathway
Regulation of enzyme activity
End product blocks the transcription of all 5 genes- no enzymes produced
Regulation of enzyme concentration
Gene cluster with a single promoter
Operon
A typical operon consists of:
A promoter
Two or more structural genes (z, y, and a)
An operator
A short sequence between the promoter and the structural genes that binds regulatory proteins
Operator
Three ways to control operon transcription
1) an inducible operon regulated by a repressor protein
2) a repressible operon regulated by an activator protein
3) an operon regulated by an activator protein
Repressor binds operator sequence and blocks RNA poly from binding- no requirement and genes transcribe
Inducible system- lactose absent
Repressor protein has binding sequence for lactose - RNA polymerase binds to breakdown and metabolize lactose
Inducible system: lactose present
Trp operon is a (blank) system
Repressible
Trp operon- amino acid
Incorporated into proteins
The trp repressor binds the operator, and RNA synthesis is blocked
Tryptophan present
Repressor dissociates from the operator, and RNA synthesis proceeds
Absence of tryptophan
Metabolic substrate is a
Inducer
Regulatory protein is a
Repressor
Metabolic substrate interacts with a regulatory protein- repressor can’t bind to operator and transcription proceeds
Inducible system
Control catabolic breakdown pathways
Inducible systems
Turned on when substrate is available
Catabolic pathways
Metabolic product is a
Co-repressor
A metabolic product binds to a regulatory protein, which then binds to the operator and blocks transcription
Repressible systems
Control anabolic (build) pathways
Repressible systems
Turned on until product concentration becomes excessive
Repressible systems
E. coli can use (blank) to increase transcription
Positive control
If glucose and lactose levels are both high, the (blank) is not transcribed efficiently
Lac operon
Efficient transcription requires (blank) to increase transcription
Binding of an activator protein to lac operon promoter
Example of activator protein
CAMP bund to CRP
Low glucose means CRP
Bound to promoter
High glucose means CRP
Not bound
A system or gene regulation in which presence of a preferred energy source represses other catabolic (break-down) pathways
Catabolite repression
RNA polymerases bind and are orientated at promoters so that (blank)
The correct DNA strand is transcribed
All promoters have (blank) that allow them to be recognized by RNA polymerase
Consensus sequences
Different classes of consensus sequences are recognized by regulatory proteins called
Sigma factors
Bind to RNA polymerase and direct it to certain promoters
Sigma factors
Genes for proteins with related functions may be at different locations in the genome, but share consensus sequences and can be recognized by
Sigma factors
Is active most of the time and binds to consensus sequences of housekeeping genes
Sigma factor 70
Genes normally expressed in actively growing cells
Housekeeping genes
How is gene expression regulated in eukaryotes?
1) remodeling chromatin- epigenetics
2) transcriptional control
3) processing control
4) transport control
5) mRNA stability control
6) translational control of protein synthesis
7) posttranslational control of protein activity
8) protein degradation
Regulation- prokaryotic vs eukaryotic - BOTH
Use DNA protein interactions and negative/positive control to regulate gene expression
Beginning steps in initiation of eukaryotic transcription
TATA box in promoter bound by TFIID
Transcription initiation complex includes
TFIID- TFIIB- TFIIF- TFIIE- TFIIH
Binds to TATA box
TFIID
Binds both RNA polymerase and TFIID, and helps identify the transcription initiation site
TFIIB
Prevents nonspecific binding of the complex to DNA and helps recruit RNA polymerase to the complex
TFIIF
Similar to function of bacterial sigma factor
TFIIF
Binds to the promoter and stabilizes the denaturation of the DNA
TFIIE
Opens up the DNA for transcription
TFIIH
Transcription factor specificity does what
Plays an important role in cell differentiation
Regulatory sequences that bind transcription factors that activate transcription or increase rate of transcription
Enhancers
Bind transcription factors that repress transcription
Silencers
Structural motifs mediate (blank) which means what
DNA binding
Fundamental to differentiation
What is a common structural motif?
Helix-turn-helix
For DNA recognition the structural motif must:
- fit into a major or minor groove
- have amino acids that can project with interior of double helix
- have amino acids that can bond with interior bases
What does the lac repressor do and what is it often called?
Bonds DNA and inhibits ability of TF binding
Dimer
Expression of transcription factors underlies (blank)
Cell differentiation
During development, cell differentiation is often mediated by
Changes in gene expression
All differentiated cells contain (blank)
Entire genome
The expression of just 3 TF is sufficient to transform (blank)
Fibroblast into a neuron
Coordinating gene expression
- separate genes unlike prokaryotes
- same sequence of DNA in front of multiple genes
Process in which a multicellular organism undergoes a series of progressive changes that characterizes its life cycle
Development