Questions and Answers
What is the primary function of introns in gene structure?
Which component directly interacts with mRNA during translation to facilitate protein synthesis?
What is the role of the Poly A tail attached to the 3' end of mRNA?
Which of the following elements is considered a cis-acting element?
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What is the end result of alternative splicing in mRNA processing?
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Which technique is utilized for detecting mRNA expression?
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Which property characterizes transcription factors?
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What does the promoter region of a gene primarily regulate?
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Which of the following describes the role of ribosomal proteins in translation?
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What is the main purpose of Reporter gene technology?
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Study Notes
Gene Regulation
- Same genetic material gives rise to diverse tissues and cell types.
- Key components include water, ions, organic molecules, nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, and sugars.
Nucleotides Structure
- 2’ Carbon: Ribose (RNA) contains H; 2’ C has hydroxyl (OH) group.
- 1’ Carbon: Contains nitrogenous bases; Purines (Adenine, Guanine) and Pyrimidines (Thymine/Uracil, Cytosine).
- 5’ Carbon: Phosphate (PO4) group is connected here.
- 3’ Carbon: Hydroxyl (OH) group is present, critical for RNA structure and function.
Gene Structure
- Exons: Coding sequences that translate into amino acids (proteins).
- Introns: Non-coding regions that interrupt exons, not translated into protein.
- Promoter: Regulatory sequences that control transcription initiation; consists of core promoter, distal and proximal components, and untranslated regions (UTRs).
Transcription Process
- Gene information is transcribed from DNA to RNA by RNA polymerase.
- Resulting RNA retains both introns and exons initially as pre-messenger RNA.
- RNA Splicing: Introns are removed; exons are joined together, and 5’ cap is added for stability.
- Poly A tail is added to 3’ end before mRNA is exported to cytosol.
- Alternative splicing results in different amino acid sequences and altered reading frames.
Translation Process
- mRNA, produced during transcription, translates into proteins in the cytoplasm.
- mRNA binds to rRNA and ribosomal proteins, forming a ribosomal complex.
- tRNA transports specific amino acids to ribosome, matching mRNA codons.
- Peptide bonds form between amino acids, resulting in protein synthesis.
Transcriptional Gene Regulation
- Regulates the activation or silencing of genes.
- Modifies the rate of mRNA processing, stability, and efficiency of translation into proteins.
Gene Regulatory Elements
- Cis-acting Elements: DNA sequences that recruit trans-acting factors; include promoters, enhancers, and silencers.
- Trans-acting Elements: Nuclear proteins, including transcription factors and cofactors that bind to cis-elements to regulate gene expression.
- Specific transcription factors recognize and bind to consensus sequences to activate or repress target genes.
Protein Expression Detection Methods
- Immunohistochemistry: Antibodies used to visually detect specific proteins within cells, tagged for observation.
- Western Blot: Proteins separated via acrylamide gel electrophoresis, transferred to a membrane, and probed with specific antibodies.
mRNA Expression Detection Methods
- Northern Blot: Probes nucleic acids; similar concept as Western blot, but targets RNA.
- RT-PCR: Reverse transcription of mRNA to cDNA, followed by amplification through PCR.
- In Situ Hybridisation: Utilizes RNA probes to detect specific mRNA, labelled for observation.
- RNA-Sequencing: Advanced sequencing techniques to quantify transcript levels, including mRNA isoforms and non-coding RNAs.
- Microarray: Analyzes expression of multiple genes simultaneously by hybridizing fluorescently tagged mRNA to a chip.
Gene Expression Detection
- Reporter Gene Technology: Modifies a gene’s promoter to include a reporter gene, enabling visualization of gene activity via fluorescence.
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Description
Explore the intricate processes of gene regulation, nucleotide structure, and gene architecture in this informative quiz. Learn about the roles of exons, introns, and the transcription process, which are fundamental to understanding molecular biology. Test your knowledge on how genetic diversity arises and the essential components involved in gene expression.
