Post-transcriptional control of gene expression Flashcards
What is added to eukaryotic mRNAs post-transcriptionally ?
Cap and poly A tail, they are not encoded in the genome.
What is pre-mRNA?
The unfinished messenger RNA or precursor messenger RNA is known as pre-mRNA.
What events are coupled to transcription?
*Capping
*Splicing
*Polyadenylation
*Editing
How is the 5’ m7G cap synthesised?
1) GpppN structure
2) methylation
What is the structure of the 5’ m7G cap?
- All RNA pol II RNAs
- RNA initially contains triphosphate at 5’ end
What is the importance of methylation in the synthesis of the 5’ m7G cap?
Methylation alters chemical behaviour of base
What are the Functions of the m7G cap?
- Protects mRNA from degradation by 5’-3’ nucleases
- Facilitates splicing
- Facilitates export from the nucleus
- Critical for translation of most mRNAs
- Functions mediated through protein binding
What is the function of the 5’ cap?
- Capping linked to transcription
- Important structure for mRNA stability, production and function
- The cap is a protein-binding element
What is Dystrophin?
Gene linked to Duchenne muscular dystrophy
What is the function of Conserved sequences in introns?
- Intron and exon boundaries contain conserved sequences
- Sequences define limits of exon and intron
- Sequences recruit the splicing machinery required to remove the intron and join the exons
What is the structure of Conserved sequences in introns?
- 5’ splice site
- 3’ splice site
- Branch site
What is the 2 step splicing of introns?
- Step 1
-cut at 5’ splice site
-creation of bond between 5’ end of intron and branch site - Step 2
-cut at 3’ splice site to release intron lariat
-ligation of two exons
What is The spliceosome?
- Enzymatic complex that catalyses the removal of introns
- Requires ATP
What is the structure of The spliceosome?
*RNA-binding proteins
*ATPases
*GTPases
* SnRNPs
What are SnRNPs?
*Small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles
*Stable RNA
*RNAs do not code for protein
*RNAs base-pair with conserved sequences in the intron
*Splicing is catalysed by the snRNAs
What is anti-Sm?
- Anti-Sm antibodies react against the Sm proteins.
- Anti-Sm antibodies are very rare unless you have the autoimmune disease systemic lupus erythematosus
What are the Mutations causing defects in splicing?
Spinal muscular atrophy
Retinitis Pigmentosa
Myotonic Dystrophy
What is Spinal muscular atrophy?
Most common genetic cause of infant mortality
What is Retinitis Pigmentosa?
Reduced visual capabilities and blindness
What is Myotonic Dystrophy?
A muscle wasting disease
What is the process of polydenylation?
Endonuclease cleavage
Addition of As by polyA polymerase
Bind CRSF and CstF.
What is CPSF?
Cleavage and polyadenylation specificity factor (CPSF)
binds AAUAAA
What is CstF?
Cleavage stimulatory factor (CstF)
binds G/U
What are the Functional significance of the polyA tail?
- All mRNAs a 3’ poly(A) tail
- Approx 250 nucleotides long
- Bound by polyA-binding protein
- Enhances export of RNA
- Stabilises the 3’ end of the mRNA
- Enhances translation of mRNA
What is RNA editing?
Nucleotide alterations which result in different or additional nucleotides in the mature RNA
Where does RNA editing occur?
mRNA
tRNA
ribosomal RNA (rRNA)
What are the Two classes of editing?
insertion/deletion
modification
What is N6-methyladenosine?
Regulated by writers, readers and erasers
Example of a writer.
Mettl3
Example of reader.
Hu-R
YTHDF1-3
Example of erasers.
FTP
AKLBH5
What is Enzymatic Deamination?
Change one nucleotide for another.
What is ApoB mRNA editing?
Editing carried out by the APOBEC-1 enzyme