Week 9 Lecture Content Flashcards
Random Insertional mutagenesis followed by gene-specific screening
- Create insertion library using transposons or T-DNA
- Isolate DNA
- PCR with primers g1, g2, t1, t2
- If gene does not have insertion, only the combination of g1 + g2 results in a product
- If a gene has an insertion, specific combination of g and t primers will yield products
Gene silencing by double-stranded RNA
- RNAi silencing gene expression transcriptionally or post-transcriptionally
- Impact: transcription, mRNA, stability, and/or translation
RNAi transcriptionally silencing gene expression
- exogenous dsRNA enters cell
- Dicer cuts RNA into 21-25bp fragments
- RISC complex binds and denatures RNA - passenger strand degraded
- Binds to mRNA by complementary case pairing
- Forming double-stranded RNA which is hen translationally blocked or destroyed
The evolution and applications of RNAi: Significance
- Protect their genomes against mutational effects of transposable genetic elements
- Protect against viral infection
Common use of RNAi
To ‘knock down’ expression of selected genes to determine the effect on the phenotype
RNAi silences gene expression post-transcriptionally
- exogenous dsRNA enters cell
- Dicer cuts RNA into 21-25bp fragments
- RISC complex binds and denatures RNA - passenger strand degraded
- transport into nucleus for bidirectional transcription
- Forms pre-siRNA that goes back to step 2
Applied RNAi steps
- Transfection or direct injection of dsRNA
- Cleavage of dsRNA into 21- to 24-base-long siRNA by dicer
- Cleavage of target mRNAs complementary to siRNAs by slicer activity of argonaute
CRISPR-Cas
-Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats
- Native function: defense against invading nucleic acids
How does CRIPR-Cas system work?
- CRISPR sequences to produce crRNAs by cas-encoded RNases
- TracrRNA at two regions - one binds to Cas DNA endonuclease and other to a crRNA
- Cas endonuclease creates a double-strand break in the DNA homologous to the crRNA
- Cas operon: DNA endonuclease and RNase
What is a reporter gene?
Gene whose product can be detected directly or produces a detectable substance
What forms can reporter genes come in?
- Enzyme: can cleave a colorless substrate to produce a colored product
- Fluorescent Protein: light emission
Beta-galactosidase as a reporter gene
lacZ
- can cleave colorless substrates ONPG and X-gal to produce yellow and blue products
- Cannot be used in plants as they have endogenous beta-galactosidase
Beta-glucronidase as a reporter gene
GUS
- Cleaves X-gluc into a blue product, can be used in plants
Luciferase as a reporter gene
Catalyzes a reaction between luciferin and ATP that results light - fireflies
Reporter genes: Transcriptional fusion
Regulatory sequences directing transcription of the gene of interest are fused with the reporter gene so as to direct transcription of the coding sequences of the reporter gene
- Gene will be transcribed in the pattern directed by the regulatory sequence to which it is fused
What can reporter genes help reveal
- Regulatory sequences
- Temporal patterns of gene regulation
- Spatial patterns of gene expression
Using reporter gene lacZ to identify enhancer of eve gene in flies
- Construct restriction map of 5’ upstream sequence
- Fuse the 5’ upstream sequence with lacZ
- Create various deletion mutations of the 5’ upstream sequence
- Transform the deletion constructs into fruit fly larvae
- Feed fly larvae with x-gal and observe color segments
- Confirmation of results