Overview of Cell Signaling Pathways Q7.2: A first messenger molecule activates a receptor that stimulates Enzyme A, which synthesizes 100 second messenger molecules. In turn, each second messenger activates only one molecule of Enzyme B, which once activated, phosphorylates 100 molecules of Enzyme C that each phosphorylate 75 molecules of Enzyme D. In the last step, each Enzyme D phosphorylates 50 transcription factors.  How many transcription factors are phosphorylated in response to the first messenger binding to the receptor?  How many transcription factors would be phosphorylated if one copy of the Enzyme D gene were inactivated (heterozygous genotype) so that there were only half the number of functional Enzyme D molecules in the cell?  Explain.

BIOC 384

Overview of Cell Signaling Pathways

Q7.2: A first messenger molecule activates a receptor that stimulates Enzyme A, which synthesizes 100 second messenger molecules. In turn, each second messenger activates only one molecule of Enzyme B, which once activated, phosphorylates 100 molecules of Enzyme C that each phosphorylate 75 molecules of Enzyme D. In the last step, each Enzyme D phosphorylates 50 transcription factors.  How many transcription factors are phosphorylated in response to the first messenger binding to the receptor?  How many transcription factors would be phosphorylated if one copy of the Enzyme D gene were inactivated (heterozygous genotype) so that there were only half the number of functional Enzyme D molecules in the cell?  Explain.