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Ch. 8 - Molecular Biology of Transcription and RNA Processing
Sanders - Genetic Analysis: An Integrated Approach 3rd Edition
Sanders3rd EditionGenetic Analysis: An Integrated ApproachISBN: 9780135564172Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 8, Problem 31a

A portion of a human gene is isolated from the genome and sequenced. The corresponding segment of mRNA is isolated from the cytoplasm of human cells, and it is also sequenced. The nucleic acid strings shown here are from genomic coding strand DNA and the corresponding mRNA.

There is one intron in the DNA sequence shown. Locate the intron and underline the splice site sequences.

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1
Identify the genomic coding strand DNA sequence and the corresponding mRNA sequence provided in the problem. Note that the mRNA sequence is derived from the coding strand of DNA, with uracil (U) replacing thymine (T).
Compare the genomic coding strand DNA sequence to the mRNA sequence. Look for regions in the DNA sequence that are absent in the mRNA sequence. These regions represent introns, as introns are spliced out during mRNA processing.
Locate the splice site sequences flanking the intron. In eukaryotic genes, introns typically have conserved splice site sequences at their boundaries. The 5' splice site (donor site) often contains the sequence 'GU' at the beginning of the intron, and the 3' splice site (acceptor site) often contains the sequence 'AG' at the end of the intron.
Underline the splice site sequences in the genomic coding strand DNA sequence. Ensure that the identified intron region is flanked by the conserved 'GU' and 'AG' sequences.
Verify your findings by ensuring that the remaining exonic sequences in the genomic coding strand DNA match the mRNA sequence after the intron is removed. This confirms the correct identification of the intron and splice sites.

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Key Concepts

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

Gene Structure

A gene consists of coding regions (exons) and non-coding regions (introns). Exons are sequences that are expressed in the final mRNA, while introns are removed during RNA processing. Understanding the structure of a gene is crucial for identifying where introns and exons are located within the DNA sequence.
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RNA Splicing

RNA splicing is the process by which introns are removed from the pre-mRNA transcript, and exons are joined together to form mature mRNA. This process is essential for the correct expression of genes, as it ensures that only the coding sequences are translated into proteins. Recognizing splice sites is key to understanding how mRNA is processed.
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Nucleotide Sequences

Nucleotide sequences are the building blocks of DNA and RNA, consisting of adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and thymine (T) in DNA, and uracil (U) replacing thymine in RNA. Analyzing these sequences allows for the identification of specific regions, such as splice sites, which are critical for understanding gene expression and regulation.
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