Transcription

DNA RNA ( protein)

transcription (translation)

DNA
Avoiding confusion????
Each gene is identified by its
promotors
 Not all genes are protein coding
genes.
• Some mature
gene products
are rRNA,
tRNA etc
 Eucaryotic transcription is more
complex
• Genes* consist of
alternating exons and
introns
• The transcripts are
also highly modified
 The 5’ ‘G cap’
• 7-methyl guanosine
is added to the
accessible 5’end of
the transcript – by an
unusual 5’-5’
triphosphodiester
bond –
– it provides a binding
site for ribosome and
also protects the 5’
end against nuclease
attack……..
Polyadenylation at 3’ end
Maturation of primary transcript
• Splicing mechanism
of mRNA primary
transcripts
• Involved consensus
sequences and
snRNPs (U1-6),
(products of RNA pol
III)
Alternative processing of calcitonin gene transcript in rats –
giving rise to functionally different polypeptide hormones

(Calcitonin gene-related
peptide)
Demonstration of non-coding sequences in chicken
ovalbumin gene by DNA-RNA hybridisation
 There are also many promoters and
additional enhancer regions to eucaryotic
genes
(a) Average promotor sequences and positions

Enhancer regions >1000bps

from +1
• Initiation of transcription
is more highly regulated
– in essence the more
tightly a polymerase
can bind to its gene, the
greater the chance of a
full length transcript
• Protein ‘transcription
factors’(TFs) are
required to bind to the
promotor regions before
the RNA pols are able
to bind…