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AP Bio Gene Expression

Gene expression involves the transcription of mRNA, initiated by RNA polymerase binding to a promoter, often featuring a TATA box in eukaryotes. Regulation of gene expression is crucial for metabolic efficiency and is influenced by environmental signals and developmental processes, with various regulatory systems present in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Enhancers play a role in controlling transcription from a distance, and gene expression can be regulated at multiple levels including transcription and translation.

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12 views1 page

AP Bio Gene Expression

Gene expression involves the transcription of mRNA, initiated by RNA polymerase binding to a promoter, often featuring a TATA box in eukaryotes. Regulation of gene expression is crucial for metabolic efficiency and is influenced by environmental signals and developmental processes, with various regulatory systems present in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Enhancers play a role in controlling transcription from a distance, and gene expression can be regulated at multiple levels including transcription and translation.

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sophieahn1026
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Gene expression requires transcription of mRNA.

The enzyme RNA polymerase binds to a


sequence close to the gene, known as the promoter. A common feature in eukaryotes is the
TATA box. This is a short sequence of bases (TATAAAA) that is part of the promoter. A general
transcription factor binds to it, indicating to RNA polymerase where transcription should be
initiated.

Some genes are continually expressed, while the expression of most is regulated; regulation
allows for more efficient energy utilization, resulting in increased metabolic fitness. Gene
expression is controlled by environmental signals and developmental cascades that involve both
regulatory and structural genes.

A variety of different gene regulatory systems are found in nature. Two of the best studied are
the inducible and the repressible regulatory systems (i.e., operons) in bacteria, and several
regulatory pathways that are conserved across phyla use a combination of positive and
negative regulatory motifs. In eukaryotes, gene regulation and expression are more complex
and involve many factors,including a suite of regulatory molecules.

1.​ A eukaryotic promoter commonly includes a TATA box, a nucleotide sequence containing
TATA, about 25 nucleotides upstream from the transcription start point.
2.​ Several transcription factors must bind to the DNA before RNA polymerase II can do so.
3.​ Additional transcription factors bind to the DNA along with RNA polymerase II, forming the
transcription initiation complex. The double helix then unwinds and RNA synthesis begins at the
start point on the template strand.

Enhancers: An enhancer is a transcription control element that may be located thousands of nucleotides
upstream or downstream of a gene. A given gene may have multiple enhancers, each activated at a
different time or in a different cell type or location in the organism.

Steps of gene expression


Transcription: DNA is copied into messenger RNA (mRNA)
Translation: mRNA is used to create proteins
Gene expression regulation
Gene expression can be regulated at many levels, including transcription, post-transcriptional control, and
translation
Gene expression can change in response to environmental changes, such as hunger, thirst, or sleep
Transcription factors can turn on at different times during successive generations of cells

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