Benjamin A.

Pierce

•GENETICS ESSENTIALS
•Concepts and Connections
• SECOND EDITION

CHAPTER 8
From DNA to Proteins:
Transcription and RNA Processing
© 2013 W. H. Freeman and Company
 8.1 RNA, CONSISTING OF A SINGLE STRAND OF
RIBONUCLEOTIDES, PARTICIPATES IN A VARIETY
OF CELLULAR FUNCTIONS
• The structure of RNA: Primary structure
• The structure of
RNA: Secondary
structure
The structure of RNA

• Classes of RNA
• Ribosomal RNA – rRNA
• Messenger RNA – mRNA
• Transfer RNA – tRNA
• Small nuclear RNAs – snRNAs
• Small nuclear ribonucleoproteins – snRNPs
• Small nuclear RNAs – snoRNAs
• Small cytoplasmic RNAs – scRNAs
• MicroRNAs – miRNAs
• Small interfering RNAs – siRNAs
8.2 TRANSCRIPTION IS THE SYNTHESIS OF AN
RNA MOLECULE FROM A DNA TEMPLATE

• The template:
• The transcribed strand: template strand
• The template: The transcription unit
• A promoter
• RNA-coding sequence
• Terminator
• The substrate for transcription:
• Ribonucleoside triphosphates – rNTPs
added to the 3′ end of the RNA molecule.
• The transcription apparatus:
• Bacterial RNA polymerase: five subunits
made up of the core enzyme:
• The sigma  factor: binding to the
promoter when transcription starts.
• Core enzyme +  factor = holoenzyme
 7.2 Transcription Is the Synthesis of an RNA
Molecule from a DNA Template

• Initiation
• The substrate for
transcription:
• Ribonucleoside triphosphates –
rNTPs added to the 3′ end of
the RNA molecule.
• The transcription apparatus:
• Eukaryotic RNA polymerases
 7.3 THE PROCESS OF BACTERIAL TRANSCRIPTION
CONSISTS OF INITIATION, ELONGATION, AND TERMINATION

• Initiation. Bacterial promoters:

• Consensus sequences: sequences that possess considerable
similarity.
• -10 consensus : 10 bp upstream of the start site.
• Pribnow box:
• 5 TATAAT 3
• 3 ATATTA 5
• - 35 consensus sequence: TTGAC
 10.3 The Process of Bacterial Transcription
Consists of Initiation, Elongation, and
Termination

• Initiation
• Initial RNA synthesis: No primer is required.
• The location of the consensus sequence
determines the position of the start site. (next slide)
• Elongation
• RNA elongation is carried out by the action of RNA
polymerase.
Figure 10.11
Transcription in bacteria is
carried out by RNA
polymerase, which must bind
to the sigma factor to initiate
transcription.
 Termination

• Rho-independent termination: hairpin structure

formed by inverted repeats, followed by a string
of uracils.
• Rho-dependent termination
7.4 MANY GENES HAVE COMPLEX STRUCTURES

Gene Organization
•The concept of colinearity and noncolinearity
 GENE ORGANIZATION

• Introns
• Exons
 THE CONCEPT OF THE GENE

The gene includes DNA sequence that codes:

• Exons
• Introns
The sequences at the beginning and end of the RNA
that are not translated into a protein, including:
• The entire transcription unit―the promoter
• The RNA coding sequence
• The terminator.
 7.5 RNA MOLECULES

The structure of messenger RNA

•A mature mRNA contains 5′ untranslated region (5′ UTR,
or leader sequence)
• Shine–Dalgarno sequence in bacteria
•Protein-coding region
•3′ untranslated region
 7.5 MANY RNA MOLECULES ARE MODIFIED
AFTER TRANSCRIPTION IN EUKARYOTES
• The addition of the 5′ cap:
• A nucleotide with 7-methylguanine; 5′-5′ bond is attached
to the 5′ end of the RNA.
 •The addition of the poly(A) tail:
•50 ~ 250 adenine nucleotides are added to the 3′ end of the mRNA.
Alternative splicing:
THE COMPLETE
PROCESS
 THE STRUCTURE OF TRANSFER RNA

• Rare modified RNA nucleotide bases

• Ribothymine
• Pseudouridine
• Common secondary structure―the cloverleaf structure
• Anticodon
 THE STRUCTURE AND PROCESSING
OF RIBOSOMAL RNA
• Large ribosome subunit
• Small ribosome subunit
 SMALL INTERFERING RNAs AND MicroRNAs

• RNA interference:
limits the invasion
of foreign genes
and censors the
expression of their
own genes.
• Types of small
RNAs.
• Processing and
function of
microRNAs.
Figure 8.25
Small interfering RNAs and
microRNAs are produced
from double-stranded RNAs.
Figure 8.26
MicroRNAs are cleaved
from larger precursors
(pri-miRNAs).