Molecular Biology and Diagnostic MLS312 Finals Mock Exam

Study Notes

RNA polymerase is crucial for initiating transcription, the process of copying DNA into RNA.
The terminator sequence marks the end of the transcribed region.
RNA synthesis during transcription proceeds in the 5' to 3' direction.

The spliceosome is a large protein complex that recognizes splice sites (intronic sequences) and facilitates intron removal and exon joining during RNA splicing.
Alternative splicing allows a single pre-mRNA to be processed into different mature mRNAs by including or excluding different exons, increasing protein diversity.

WT1 is a well-known tumor suppressor gene frequently mutated in Wilms' tumor, a childhood kidney cancer.
Silent mutations are mutations that don't affect the amino acid sequence.

Cell lysis is the initial step in RNA isolation, breaking open cells to release cellular contents, including RNA.
Guanidium thiocyanate disrupts cell membranes and helps in protein denaturation during RNA isolation, allowing for better RNA extraction.

FISH uses fluorescent probes to target specific DNA or RNA sequences within a cell.
FISH probes bind to their complementary sequences on the chromosomes, allowing researchers to visualize their location in the nucleus.
Split gene probes are designed to bind to two separate regions within the same gene, used to detect breakpoints in the gene, which might be associated with genetic disorders.
Telomere FISH probes bind specifically to the end regions of chromosomes, allowing researchers to study telomere.
Multiple color FISH probes can be used to determine birth defects.

Both FISH and Southern blotting can utilize either fluorescent or radioactive probes depending on the researcher's preference and the specific application.
FISH is used to study DNA or RNA within a cell, while Southern blotting is used to study DNA or RNA outside of a cell.