Chapter 16 pt.1 Flashcards
Gene Regulation
The mechanism and systems that control the expression of genes
Why do we need gene regulation?
In bacteria, it maintains an internal flexibility, turning genes on and off in response to environmental changes; in multicellular eukaryotic organisms, gene regulation also brings about cell differentiation /specialization
Structural Genes
Proteins used in metabolism or biosynthesis which plays a role in the cell (housekeeping genes)
Regulatory Genes
Either RNA or proteins interact with other DNA sequences and affect the transcription or translation of those sequences
Constitutive Genes
They are genes that are not regulated
Positive Control
Mechanisms that stimulate gene expression – regulatory protein is an activator
Negative Control
Mechanisms that inhibit gene expression – regulatory protein is a repressor
Regulatory genes
Either RNA or proteins interact with other DNA sequences and affect the transcription or translation rate
Operon
A group of bacterial structural genes that are transcribed together
Promoter–Operator–geneA–geneB–geneC–
(gene A,B, C ==> structural genes)
Operator
affects whether transcription can take place
Explain the mechanism of an operon
- –promoter+regulator– ==> transcription/translation ==> regulatory protein
- An operon is a group of structural genes plus sequences that control transcription
- The regulatory protein may bind to the operator site to regulate the transcription of mRNA
- The products of mRNA catalyze reactions in a biochemical pathways
Inducible Operons
Transcription is normally off – sometimes needs to be induced
Repressible Operons
Transcription is normally on – something needs to be represented
Negative Inducible Operon
- The regulatory protein is a repressor that binds to the operator and prevents transcription of the structural genes
- When an induce is present, it binds to the regulator, thereby making the regulator unable to bind to the operator
- Transcription now takes place
Inducer
When bound to repressor protein, inactivate the repressor protein and allow for transcription to occur – the precursor molecule
allosteric proteins
which change shape upon binding to another molecule
Negative Repressible Operons
- The regulatory protein is an inactive repressor, unable to bind to the operator
- Transcription of the structural genes therefore takes place
- Levels of the product build up
- Product binds to the regulatory protein
- Making it activate and able to bind to the operator
- it prevents transcription
Co-repressor
A small molecule that binds to the repressor and makes it capable of binding to the operator – the metabolic product
Flip the card! Sums up everything :)
There are two basic types of transcriptional control: negative and positive
- In negative control, where a regulatory protein – acts as repressor – binds to DNA and transcription is inhibited
- In positive control, when a regulatory protein – activator – binds to DNA and transcription is stimulated
- Operons are Inducible: their transcription is normally off and must be turned on through a precursor/inducer
- Operons are repressible: their transcription is normally on and must be turned off through a product/co-repressor
Lac operon
negative inducible operon
B-galactosidase
- It is encoded by the LacZ gene
- Lactose is broken down into glucose and galactose
Permease
- It is encoded by the LacY gene
- It transports lactose into the cell
Transacetylase
- It is encoded by the LacA gene
- detoxification/preventing the accumulation of thiogalactoside
Coordinate Induction
The simultaneous synthesis of several proteins stimulated by a specific molecule, the inducer