1. Relationship between Genotype and Phenotype
Molecular Basis for
Relationship between Genotype and Phenotype
genotype
DNA
DNA sequence
transcription
RNA
translation
amino acid
sequence
protein
function
phenotype
organism

2. * eukaryotic RNA is monocistronic prokaryotic RNA can be polycistronic
Three RNA Polymerases
RNA Polymerase I II
III
Synthesis of
rRNA (except 5S rRNA)
mRNA*, some snRNA
tRNA, some snRNA, 5S rRNA
* eukaryotic RNA is monocistronic
prokaryotic RNA can be polycistronic

3. Eukaryotic RNA
Many proteins must assemble at promoter before transcription.
General transcription factors (GTF’s) bind before RNA polymerase II, while other proteins bind after RNA polymerase II binds.
Primary transcript (pre-mRNA) must be processed into mature mRNA.
1. Cap at 5’ end (7-methylguanosine)
2. Addition of poly(A) tail
3. Splicing of RNA transcript
Chromatin structure affects gene expression (gene transcription) in eukaryotes.

4. Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Transcription and Translation Compared

5. Transcription Initiation in Eukaryotes
TATA binding protein (TBP), part of TFIID complex, must bind to promoter before other GTFs and RNA polymerase II can form preinitiation complex (PIC).
Phosphorylation of carboxyl tail domain (CTD), the protein tail of b subunit of RNA polymerase II, allows separation of RNA polymerase II from GTFs to start transcription.

6. Cotranscriptional Processing of RNA
State of phosphorylation of CTD determines the type of proteins that can associate with the CTD (thus defining cotranscriptional process).
5’ end of pre-mRNA is capped with 7-methylguanosine. This protects the transcript from degradation; capping is also necessary for translation of mature mRNA.

7. Cotranscriptional Processing
3’ end of the transcript typically contains AAUAAA or AUUAAA.
This sequence is recognized by an enzyme that cleaves the newly synthesized transcript ~20 nucleotides downstream.
At the 3’ end, a poly(A) tail consisting of adenine nucleotides is added.
Polyadenylation is another characteristic of transcription in eukaryotes.

8. Complex Patterns of Eukaryotic RNA Splicing
Different mRNA can be produced; different a-tropomyosin can be produced.
Alternative splicing is a mechanism for gene regulation. Gene product can be different
in different cell types and at different stages of development.

9. Intron Splicing: Conserved Sequences
exons - coding sequences introns - noncoding sequences
Small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles (snRNPs) recognize consensus splice junction sequence of GU/AG.
snRNPs are complexes of protein and small nuclear RNA (snRNA). Several snRNPs comprise a spliceosome.
Spliceosome directs the removal of introns and joining of exons.

10. Spliceosome Assembly and Function
Spliceosome interacts with CTD and attaches to pre-mRNA.
snRNAs in spliceosomes direct alignment of the splice sites.
One end of conserved sequence attaches to conserved adenine in the intron.
The “lariat” is released and adjacent exons are joined.

11. Reactions in Exon Splicing

12. Self-Splicing Reaction
RNA molecules can act somewhat like enzymes (ribozymes).
In the protozoan Tetrahymena, the primary transcript of an rRNA can excise a 413-nucleotide intron from itself.
These self-splicing introns are an example of RNA that can catalyze a reaction.