Eukaryotic Regulation of Gene Expression

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What is post translational control in eukaryotic gene expression?

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Post translational control refers to the regulation of gene expression at the protein level, including modifications such as phosphorylation, methylation, and ubiquitination that affect protein function and stability.

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What are general transcriptional factors?

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General transcriptional factors are proteins that are essential for the initiation of transcription by RNA polymerase in eukaryotic cells. They help in the assembly of the transcription machinery at the promoter region.

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What is methylation in the context of gene expression?

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Methylation is a chemical modification of DNA where methyl groups are added to the DNA molecule, typically at cytosine bases, which can repress gene expression without altering the DNA sequence.

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What characterizes a gene with a strong promoter?

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A gene with a strong promoter has a sequence that is highly efficient in binding RNA polymerase and transcription factors, leading to high levels of transcription and gene expression.

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What is the final step of regulation of gene expression?

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The final step of regulation of gene expression is protein degradation, where proteins are broken down, affecting the levels of active proteins in the cell.

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What role does RNA polymerase play in transcription?

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RNA polymerase is the enzyme responsible for synthesizing RNA from a DNA template during transcription, requiring general transcription factors to initiate the process.

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What is the difference between transcriptional control and translational control?

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Transcriptional control regulates the initiation of transcription, while translational control regulates the process of translating mRNA into proteins.

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How does acetylation affect gene expression?

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Acetylation is a modification of histone proteins that can lead to a more open chromatin structure, promoting gene expression by making DNA more accessible to transcription machinery.

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What is the significance of a gene's poly-A tail?

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A long poly-A tail on mRNA enhances its stability and translation efficiency, while a short poly-A tail can lead to rapid degradation of the mRNA.

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What is heterochromatin and its effect on gene expression?

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Heterochromatin is a tightly packed form of DNA that is generally transcriptionally inactive, meaning genes located in heterochromatin are less likely to be expressed.