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12-5 Gene Regulation

12-5 Gene Regulation

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Gene Regulation: An Example

Gene Regulation: An Example

E. coli provides an example of how gene expression can be regulated.

An operon is a group of genes that operate together.

In E. coli, these genes must be turned on so the bacterium can use lactose as food.

Therefore, they are called the lac operon.

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Gene Regulation: An Example

How are lac genes turned off and on?

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Gene Regulation: An Example

The lac genes are turned off by repressors and turned on by the presence of lactose.

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Gene Regulation: An Example

On one side of the operon's three genes are two regulatory regions.

      • In the promoter (P) region, RNA polymerase binds and then begins transcription.

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Gene Regulation: An Example

      • The other region is the operator (O).

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Gene Regulation: An Example

When the lac repressor binds to the O region, transcription is not possible.

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Gene Regulation: An Example

When lactose is added, sugar binds to the repressor proteins.

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Gene Regulation: An Example

The repressor protein changes shape and falls off the operator and transcription is made possible.

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Gene Regulation: An Example

Many genes are regulated by repressor proteins.

Some genes use proteins that speed transcription.

Sometimes regulation occurs at the level of protein synthesis.

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Eukaryotic Gene Regulation

How are most eukaryotic genes controlled?

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Eukaryotic Gene Regulation

Eukaryotic Gene Regulation

Operons are generally not found in eukaryotes.   

Most eukaryotic genes are controlled individually and have regulatory sequences that are much more complex than those of the lac operon.

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Eukaryotic Gene Regulation

Many eukaryotic genes have a sequence called the TATA box.

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Promoter

sequences

Upstream

enhancer

TATA

box

Introns

Exons

Direction of transcription

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Eukaryotic Gene Regulation

The TATA box seems to help position RNA polymerase.

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Promoter

sequences

Upstream

enhancer

TATA

box

Introns

Exons

Direction of transcription

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Eukaryotic Gene Regulation

Eukaryotic promoters are usually found just before the TATA box, and consist of short DNA sequences.

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Promoter

sequences

Upstream

enhancer

TATA

box

Introns

Exons

Direction of transcription

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Eukaryotic Gene Regulation

Genes are regulated in a variety of ways by enhancer sequences.

Many proteins can bind to different enhancer sequences.

Some DNA-binding proteins enhance transcription by:

      • opening up tightly packed chromatin
      • helping to attract RNA polymerase
      • blocking access to genes

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Development and Differentiation

Development and Differentiation

As cells grow and divide, they undergo differentiation, meaning they become specialized in structure and function.

Hox genes control the differentiation of cells and tissues in the embryo.

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Development and Differentiation

Careful control of expression in hox genes is essential for normal development.

All hox genes are descended from the genes of common ancestors.

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Development and Differentiation

Hox Genes

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Adult mouse

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