Why does DNA get turned into RNA?

-Amplification: most genes are present in 1 or possibly 2 copies in a cell; very little template for making proteins Transcription: Making RNA from DNA template Transcription Carried out by DNA-dependent, RNA-synthesizing ensyme, RNA polymerase Occurs in 4 basic steps: 1. Promoter recognition 2. Initiation 3. Enlongation 4. Termination Let's begin with E. coli RNA polymerase...: RNA polymerase consists of 6 subunites (together called RNA polymerase Holoenzym e) -2 alpha, 1 beta, 1 beta', 1 w, 1 sigma (w/o sigma subunit, called core enzyme) -So, can exist in two states, holoenzyme or core enzyme Doesn't transcribe entire genome into RNA -Some bacterial DNA and most eukaryotic DNA is not template for proteins/RNA -Looks for individual fenes (regions of useful info) Markers ("start signal") for beginning of genes= promoters (sequence of DNA) Promoter sequences: Are not transcribed, just read and tells enzyme to start Important region #1: about 10 bases from the starting point (assigned -10) - TATAAT (MEMORIZE) Important region #2: about 35 bases from the starting point (-35) - TTGACA (MEMORIZE) -These sites are conserved and have consensus sequences -THe closer a bacterial promoter is to the -10 and -35 consensus sequences, the better RNA polymerase will bind *More RNA Another way to analyze converved regions is "sequence logos" RNA Polymerase sigma subunit scarns DNA looking for promoter sites TEmplate strand (non-coding strand) is read in the 3' to 5' direction -BUT RNA is transcribed from 5' to 3' COding strand: non-template strand -Is very similar to transcript; complementary to template HOw does RNA polymerase know which strand to use as the template strand? -Either strand can be used for a given strand, one us chosen depending on the location and orientation of the promoter sequence Remember DNA strands are complementary, not identical, so different info is enco ded in each strand Termination of transcription in E. coli: -Rho (p)-Dependent termination: Rho binds to a recognized sequence and the RNA p olymerase and pulls RNA away *REquires ATP -Intrinsic termination (Rho-independent) *Transcription unit includes the terminator