Control of Gene Expression in Eukaryotic cells BSCI 420 Lecture 11A Sept. 2002 “How may deaths will it take till we know that to many people have died?” -Bob Dylan 1. Overview 2. Regulation of individual genes A. Cis-acting regulatory sequences B. Trans-acting (Transcription) factors 3. Regulation of chromatin domains
1. Overview All Cells of your body (with a few exceptions) contain the same DNA. So how do different cells become different? By regulating gene expression at many different levels: a. Structure of chromatin domains b. Transcription of individual genes c. Processing of RNA transcripts d. Transport vs. degradation of messages e. Translation vs. storage or degradation of messages f. Activation of proteins g. Degradation of proteins
Summary of gene expression in eukaryotes 7. Degraded protein
The first and major level of control is transcriptional. Transcriptional control occurs at 2 levels: At the level of A. Individual genes -or- B. Chromatin domains Individual gene regulation occurs by the the interaction of: 1. Cis-acting regulatory sequences on DNA and 2. Trans-acting transcription factors a) Promoters are: 1) A DNA sequence where RNA polymerase binds to the DNA without transcribing it. 2) Just upstream from the transcribed sequence 3) Unidirectional - They orient RNA polymerase in one direction and send it toward the coding region of the gene
RNA polymerase
Initiation of transcription at a eukaryotic promoter