Week 7 - Regulation Of Gene Expression Flashcards
What is gene expression?
Control at multiple steps
Define an operon.
A functioning unit of genomic DNA containing a cluster of genes under the control of a single promoter
What is the function of the E. coli lac operon?
Control of gene expression for efficient substrate use
What induces the synthesis of enzymes for lactose metabolism in E. coli?
Presence of lactose
How is the lac operon expression inhibited?
By a repressor protein
What is the role of allolactose in the lac operon?
Binds to repressor protein and blocks its action
What type of expression system is the lac operon an example of?
Inducible expression system
What is the function of the trp operon?
Codes for genes responsible for synthesis of amino acid tryptophan
What happens to the trp operon when tryptophan levels are low?
Repressor is inactive, operon expressed, tryptophan synthesized
What happens to the trp operon when tryptophan levels are high?
Tryptophan binds to repressor, operon expression inhibited
What are regulatory transcription factors (TFs)?
Proteins that activate or inhibit transcription
What is the difference between transcriptional activators and repressors?
Activators promote transcription, repressors inhibit transcription
What is chromatin remodeling?
Alteration of chromatin structure to regulate transcriptional activity
What is euchromatin?
Open chromatin structure that is transcriptionally active
What is heterochromatin?
Condensed chromatin that is normally transcriptionally silent