Gene Expression Regulation
How does acetylation of a histone protein affect transcription?
Activation of transcription
What does epigenetics control?
When and where certain genes are expressed
True/False: Cancer cells only show hypomethylation, not hypermethylation, because cancer is always suppressing DNA methylation.
False. There are specific loci that show hypermethylation in tumors, and these are promoters of tumor-suppressor genes
Which ligation process is preferred in putting DNA fragment into a cloning vector?
Sticky end ligation
An international scientific effort that determined the complete DNA sequence of the human genome.
HGP/Human genome project
List the two types of DNA sequences and the two types of proteins that alter transcription
DNA sequences: enhancer, insulator
Proteins: activator, repressor
True or False: Epigenetic modifications change gene expression through modifications within an organism’s genetic sequence?
False (it does not change the underlying genetic sequence, only gene expression)
Which process is referred to as gene activity, depending on whether the gene is of maternal or paternal origin?
Genomic imprinting
Name at least 2 characteristics of an ideal cloning vector.
Autonomously replicate (has an origin of replication)
Contains one or more selectable markers
Has recognition sites for one or more restriction enzymes
It is easy to release from host cells
True or False: The Human Genome Project aimed to sequence only the protein-coding regions of the human genome.
False
List three of the six levels of gene regulation
(1) DNA/chromatin structure alteration, (2) transcription regulation, (3) mRNA processing, (4) RNA stability, (5) translational regulation, (6) post-translational modification
This type of RNA is involved in epigenetic regulation. It has a ploy-A tail but lacks an open reading frame, therefore it cannot code for a protein. Name this RNA.
LncRNA, long ncRNA
True/False: Insulin-like growth factor II (IGF2) is paternally expressed, promotes growth especially in the placenta
True
Which part of the CRISPR-Cas9 system is genetically engineered and which is part of the target DNA? State their functions.
Engineered → sgRNA: determines binding site
Part of Target DNA → PAM: where Cas9 protein binds to unwind the target DNA
A method that sequences an entire genome and reconstructs it from overlapping DNA fragments.
Whole genome sequencing (and assembly)
The addition of phosphate groups, carboxyl groups, methyl groups, or carbohydrates to a protein is an example of what level of gene regulation?
Post-translational modification
What region of the histone and what nucleotide in DNA does methylation occur on?
N-terminal, Histone tail, cytosine
Name one symptom of Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome.
One of the following: large newborn, placenta, tongue, protruding eyes, and organs and tissues. Creases in ear lobes, umbilical hernia, diastasis recti, cryptorchidism, hypoglycemia, lethargy, seizures
A researcher is studying the main genes expressed in canine lymphoma. Which sequencing and blotting technique can be used in the research of this disease?
RNA sequencing
qPCR
An approach that integrates DNA, RNA, protein, metabolite, and epigenetic data to understand biological systems.
Multiomics
What is the mechanism by which non-coding RNA (ncRNA) molecules guide the posttranscriptional silencing of mRNAs in a sequence-specific manner?
RNA interference (via Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs))
How many waves of global DNA methylation reprogramming occur in mammals, and when do they take place? How does this compare to genomic imprinting reprogramming?
2, early embryogenesis and primordial germ cells formation
1, only during PGC
A deletion on the long arm region of chromosome 15 in the paternal allele leads to which syndrome?
Prader-Willi syndrome
Suppose you take bacterial cells with the LacZ gene and transform some of them with plasmids containing AmpR. The cells are plated on agar containing Amp and X-gal. You perform blue-white screening and observe only blue cells. Was the transformation successful and what caused this blue pigment?
No, unsuccessful. LacZ encodes beta-galactosidase which cleaves X-gal.
In which omics is DNA extracted directly from the environment?
Metagenomics