Gene transcription and RNA modification - Overview of transcription

15 important questions on Gene transcription and RNA modification - Overview of transcription

What is gene expression?

The overall process by which the information within a gene is used to produce a functional product, such as a polypeptide.

What are the promoter and the terminator?

Base sequences within the DNA that povide a site for beginning transcription (promoter), and the end of transcription (terminator). So the promoter and terminator show the beginning and end of a gene (which has to be transcripted and translated into a protein).

To which strand of the DNA is the base sequence in the RNA transcript complementary? And which strand of the DNA has the same sequence (except for T/U) as the sequence in the RNA transcript?

- The base sequence in the RNA transcript is complementary to the template strand;
- And it has the same base sequence as the coding strand.
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What are other names for the coding strand of the DNA?

Nontemplate or sense strand.

How are the proteins that control the rate of transcription, called?

Transcription factors.

Which 2 types of transcription factors are identified?

- Transcription factors that bind directly to the promoter;
- Transcription factors that recognize regulatory sequences, or regulatory elements, short stretches of DNA involved in the regulation of transcription.

In the mRNA of bacteria there is a short sequences that provides a location for a ribosome to bind and begin translation. How is this sequence called?

The ribosome-binding site or Shine-Dalgarno sequence.

How does the bacterial ribosome recognize the ribosome-binding site within the mRNA?

This site is complementary to a sequence in ribosomal RNA.

What is a codon?

A group of three nucleotides, which contains the information for one amino acid.

How is the first codon in the mRNA called and where is it located?

The start codon, it's very close to the ribosome-binding site.

Which part of the mRNA signals the end of translation?

A stop codon.

What are the three stages of transcription?

- Initiation
- Elongation
- Termination

Which enzyme (protein) interacts with DNA to synthesize RNA?

RNA polymerase.

What causes transcription to begin?

In the initiation stage, the sequence of bases within the promoter is recognized by one or more transcription factors. The binding of transcription factors to the promoter identifies the starting site for transcription.

How does transcription start?

The transcription factor(s) and RNA polymerase bind to the promoter. Then the DNA strands are seperated and one of the strands is used as a template strand.

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