Concept explainers
Discuss the common points of control in eukaryotic gene regulation.
To review:
The levels of regulation of genes in eukaryotes.
Introduction:
The event because of which the level of expression of genes is controlled so that it is either expressed in high or low levels is known as gene regulation. The structural differences and function of different cell types is ensured by gene regulation. It helps in adaptation to varying environmental conditions.
Explanation of Solution
The gene expression regulation can occur at multiple molecular levels:
1. Transcription: At this level, the transcription is controlled by regulatory transcription factors. These transcription factors have the ability to bind to silencers or enhancers and cause the activation or inactivation of a gene. Chromatin remodeling complexes and enzymes that modify histones also play a role in regulating the expression of a gene by modifying the structure of the chromatin.
2. Processing of RNA: The formation of mature mRNA from pre-mRNA can also be subjected to various mechanisms of regulation. The mechanisms employed are alternate splicing and RNA editing. Alternate splicing will cause the exon to be removed, which would ultimately form different proteins. RNA editing can alter the nucleotide sequence of mRNA and thus change the proteins.
3. Translation: The formation of proteins from mRNA is regulated by mechanism like RNA interference, TALENS (Transcription Activator like Effector Nucleases), et cetera. Small RNAs like siRNA (short interfering RNA), miRNA (micro RNA) having complementary sequence to the target mRNA, and can inhibit the formation of proteins. Proteins that bind to the 5' end of mRNA can also affect the translation of different mRNA.
4. Post–translational modifications: Covalent and enzymatic modifications which occur in proteins after they are formed are known as post translational modifications. Phosphorylation is the most common type of this modification. Addition or deletion of the phosphate group can cause the activation or inactivation of a protein. Addition or deletion of functional groups can convert standard amino acids into non-standard ones. This causes a change in the active site of the enzyme.
Therefore, it can be concluded that the levels of regulation of eukaryotic genes are transcription, processing of mRNA, translation, and post-translational modifications.
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Chapter 15 Solutions
Genetics: Analysis and Principles
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- Biology (MindTap Course List)BiologyISBN:9781337392938Author:Eldra Solomon, Charles Martin, Diana W. Martin, Linda R. BergPublisher:Cengage Learning