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Ch. 13 - Regulation of Gene Expression in Eukaryotes
Sanders - Genetic Analysis: An Integrated Approach 3rd Edition
Sanders3rd EditionGenetic Analysis: An Integrated ApproachISBN: 9780135564172Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 13, Problem 20a

A muscle enzyme called ME1 is produced by transcription and translation of the ME1 gene in several muscles during mouse development, including heart muscle, in a highly regulated manner. Production of ME1 appears to be turned on and turned off at different times during development. To test the possible role of enhancers and silencers in ME1 transcription, a biologist creates a recombinant genetic system that fuses the ME1 promoter, along with DNA that is upstream of the promoter, to the bacterial lacZ (β-galactosidase) gene. The lacZ gene is chosen for the ease and simplicity of assaying production of the encoded enzyme. The diagram shows bars that indicate the extent of six deletions the biologist makes to the ME1 promoter and upstream sequences. The blue deletion labeled D is within the promoter whereas the gray bars span potential enhancer/silencer modules. The table displays the percentage of β-galactosidase activity in each deletion mutant in comparison with the recombinant gene system without any deletions.


Diagram showing ME1 gene deletions and lacZ activity percentages for gene regulation study.


Does this information indicate the presence of enhancer and/or silencer sequences in the ME1 upstream sequence? If so, where is/are the sequences located? 

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1
Step 1: Analyze the diagram and table provided. The diagram shows the ME1 gene with its upstream region, promoter, and lacZ gene. The deletions (A-F) are marked as gray bars, and the table provides the percentage of lacZ activity for each deletion compared to the control (no deletion).
Step 2: Compare the lacZ activity percentages for each deletion to the control (100%). Deletion A and B show no change in activity (100%), suggesting these regions do not contain regulatory elements affecting transcription. Deletion C shows a significant drop in activity (4%), indicating the presence of a potential enhancer in this region.
Step 3: Examine deletion D, which is within the promoter region. The lacZ activity drops to less than 1%, confirming the promoter is essential for transcription and lacZ expression.
Step 4: Evaluate deletion E, which results in an increase in lacZ activity (170%). This suggests the presence of a silencer sequence in this region, as its removal leads to higher transcription levels.
Step 5: Assess deletion F, which reduces lacZ activity to 5%. This indicates another potential enhancer sequence in this region, as its removal significantly decreases transcription.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Gene Regulation

Gene regulation refers to the mechanisms that control the expression of genes, determining when and how much of a gene product is produced. This process is crucial during development, as it allows cells to respond to internal and external signals, ensuring that specific genes are activated or silenced at the right times. In the context of the ME1 gene, understanding how enhancers and silencers influence transcription is key to deciphering its regulatory mechanisms.
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Review of Regulation

Enhancers and Silencers

Enhancers and silencers are regulatory DNA sequences that can increase or decrease the transcription of a gene, respectively. Enhancers can be located far from the gene they regulate and function by binding transcription factors, while silencers inhibit transcription by preventing the binding of these factors. The experiment described aims to identify these elements in the ME1 gene's upstream region by analyzing the effects of specific deletions on β-galactosidase activity.
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Transcriptional Activity Assay

A transcriptional activity assay measures the expression level of a gene, often using reporter genes like lacZ, which encodes β-galactosidase. In this experiment, the activity of lacZ serves as a proxy for ME1 transcription, allowing researchers to assess how different deletions in the promoter and upstream regions affect gene expression. The varying levels of β-galactosidase activity provide insights into the presence and function of regulatory elements such as enhancers and silencers.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

The UG4 gene is expressed in stem tissue and leaf tissue of the plant Arabidopsis thaliana. To study mechanisms regulating UG4 expression, six small deletions of DNA sequence upstream of the gene-coding sequence are made. The locations of deletions and their effect on UG4 expression are shown here. Why does deletion D raise UG4 expression in leaf tissue but not in stem tissue?

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Textbook Question

The UG4 gene is expressed in stem tissue and leaf tissue of the plant Arabidopsis thaliana. To study mechanisms regulating UG4 expression, six small deletions of DNA sequence upstream of the gene-coding sequence are made. The locations of deletions and their effect on UG4 expression are shown here. Why does deletion E lower expression of UG4 in leaf tissue but not in stem tissue?

461
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Textbook Question

Diagram and explain how the inducibility of a gene—for instance in response to an environmental cue—could be mediated by an activator. Then show how it could be mediated by a repressor.

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Textbook Question

A muscle enzyme called ME1 is produced by transcription and translation of the ME1 gene in several muscles during mouse development, including heart muscle, in a highly regulated manner. Production of ME1 appears to be turned on and turned off at different times during development. To test the possible role of enhancers and silencers in ME1 transcription, a biologist creates a recombinant genetic system that fuses the ME1 promoter, along with DNA that is upstream of the promoter, to the bacterial lacZ (β-galactosidase) gene. The lacZ gene is chosen for the ease and simplicity of assaying production of the encoded enzyme. The diagram shows bars that indicate the extent of six deletions the biologist makes to the ME1 promoter and upstream sequences. The blue deletion labeled D is within the promoter whereas the gray bars span potential enhancer/silencer modules. The table displays the percentage of β-galactosidase activity in each deletion mutant in comparison with the recombinant gene system without any deletions.



Why does deletion D effectively eliminate transcription of lacZ?

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Textbook Question

A muscle enzyme called ME1 is produced by transcription and translation of the ME1 gene in several muscles during mouse development, including heart muscle, in a highly regulated manner. Production of ME1 appears to be turned on and turned off at different times during development. To test the possible role of enhancers and silencers in ME1 transcription, a biologist creates a recombinant genetic system that fuses the ME1 promoter, along with DNA that is upstream of the promoter, to the bacterial lacZ (β-galactosidase) gene. The lacZ gene is chosen for the ease and simplicity of assaying production of the encoded enzyme. The diagram shows bars that indicate the extent of six deletions the biologist makes to the ME1 promoter and upstream sequences. The blue deletion labeled D is within the promoter whereas the gray bars span potential enhancer/silencer modules. The table displays the percentage of β-galactosidase activity in each deletion mutant in comparison with the recombinant gene system without any deletions.



Given the information available from deletion analysis, can you give a molecular explanation for the observation that ME1 expression appears to turn on and turn off at various times during normal mouse development?

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Textbook Question

Using the components in the accompanying diagram, design regulatory modules (i.e., enhancer/silencer modules) required for 'your' gene to be expressed only in differentiating (early) and differentiated (late) liver cells. Answer the three questions presented below by describing the roles that activators, enhancers, repressors, silencers, pioneer factors, insulators, chromatin remodeling complexes, and chromatin readers, writers, and erasers will play in the regulation of expression of your gene, that is, what factors will bind and be active in each case? Specify which transcription factors need to be pioneer factors. How will the gene be activated in the proper cell type?

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