Topic 3: Genetic Regulation Flashcards
What is a gene
Sequence of DNA that encodes a specific trait or product
Turning genes on/off in bacteria vs eukaryotes
Bact = turn genes on/off in response to environment
Euk = turn genes on and off in response to environment, for cell differentiation, tissue coordination, based on developmental stage
Where can gene expression be controlled
Before transcription (important, first step before DNA->RNA->protein)
Post transcription
Translation
Post translation
Which part of gene expression control do prokaryotes not have
mRNA processing
What are structural genes? what are they controlled by?
Genes that encode proteins (e.g. enzymes), controlled by DNA binding proteins
What do DNA binding proteins control, what are they produced by
Control structural genes
Produced by regulatory genes
What are regulatory genes?
Encoding products that interact with other sequences and affect the transcription and translation of these sequences
Make DNA binding proteins
What are regulatory elements
DNA sequences that are not transcribed but play a role in regulating other nucleotide sequences
What kind of proteins are transcription factors
DNA binding
What can DNA binding proteins recognize? What do they form bonds with? What type?
Information in the major and minor grooves of DNA
Form H-bonds with groups on the bases
What is a protein domain
~60-90 amino acids, responsible for doing a specific job or forming a specific structure
What is a motif
Within the binding domain, a simple structure that provides specificity (recognizes DNA seq)
Domains and motifs are found in…
DNA binding proteins
Examples of protein domains
Helix-turn-helix
Zinc fingers
Leucine zipper
What are operons
In bacteria, a set of related genes are regulated together
Transcribed as a single mRNA with multiple coding regions
Controlled by the same promoter and regulatory proteins
Multiple proteins transcribed off single mRNA with diff start and stop codons
Operons are regulated at the…
Operator
Slide 10
Operon
What is constitutive expression
Continuously expressed under normal cellular conditions
What is positive control? Negative control?
+ = control at the operator is positive ie TF that binds operator stimulates transcription
- = control at the operator is negative ie TF that binds operator inhibits transcription (repressor)
What is an inducible operon? Repressible?
Inducible = transcription is usually off, needs to be turned on
Repressible = transcription is normally on, needs to be turned off