Topic 6 Flashcards
Regulating ____________ is one of the fundamental ways in which cells can modify their activities
gene expression
changes in gene expression are involved in…
- response of cells to their environment
- regulation of cell cycle
- distinct activities and coordination of different cell types
- cell differentiation and development
RNA polymerases
the principal enzyme responsible for RNA synthesis
Unlike DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase do not require ….
a primer sequence to initiate RNA synthesis
genes are regulated by….
“dimmer switches” known as promoters
promoters
DNA sequence with which RNA polymerase and other proteins interact to initiate and regulate rate of transcription
transcription
RNA synthesis using a DNA template (a copy)
translation
protein synthesis using an mRNA template (translating)
mRNA
RNA molecules that serve as templates for protein synthesis (RNA polymerase II)
rRNA
a component of ribosomes (RNA polymerase I, Polymerase III)
tRNA
serves as adaptor molecules that align amino acids along the mRNA template (RNA polymerase III)
make up well over 90% of total RNA by mass in any cell
rRNA and tRNA
regulatory mechanisms
ensure correct gene is transcribed in the correct cell type at the correct time and in correct amount
DNA sequence element
term used to denote a specific short sequence of DNA base pairs within a gene promoter
Cis-acting DNA sequences
aka promoter and enhancer elements; regulate expression of genes
basal or core promoter
ex. TATA box, initiator (Ing) DNA sequence
upstream promoter and enhancers
same functionally; transcriptional regulatory sequences that can be located at a significant distance from promoter; binding sites for gene specific transcription factors
enhancers can be…
upstream and downstream
usually only one _______, but could be multiple _________________
TATA box, CAT and GC boxes
SV40 enhancer
can function in any orientation and in any position relative to core promoter
plasmid DNA
a method by which to introduce recombinant DNA into a cell
reporter gene
a gene that encodes an easily assayed enzyme or other protein and can be used to replace the normal gene sequence adjacent to a gene promoter
Other methods of incorporating altered DNA sequences into a genome:
retrovirus/lentivirus and CRISPR/Cas9
transcription factors
proteins that are required for RNA polymerase II to initiate transcription
general transcription factors
involved in initiation of transcriptionand are part of general transcription machinery
gene specific transcription factors
not part of general machinery; proteins that exhibit DNA sequence-specific binding properties, direct activity of the general transcription factors and modulate activity of basal transcription complex
general transcription factors and RNA polymerase II are thought to assemble in…
a step-wise manner around the basal promoter region
the complex formed from a general transcription factor and RNA polymerase II
transcription initiation complex aka pre initiation complex aka basal transcription complex
TATA box
a regulatory DNA sequence found in promoters transcribed by RNA pol. II
TATA-binding protein or TBP
a basal transcription factor that binds directly to the TATA box
TBP-associated factors or TAFs
proteins associated with TBP in the general transcription factor (TFIID)
TFIIB associates with TFIID at the…… followed by recruitment of ………… and TFIIF
core promoter, RNA polymerase