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In general gene expression is regulated through changes [44] in the number and type of interactions between molecules [45] that collectively influence transcription of DNA [46] and translation of RNA. [47] Some simple examples of where gene expression is important are: Control of insulin expression so it gives a signal for blood glucose regulation.
Gene structure is the organisation of specialised sequence elements within a gene. Genes contain most of the information necessary for living cells to survive and reproduce. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] In most organisms, genes are made of DNA, where the particular DNA sequence determines the function of the gene.
Cis-regulatory DNA sequences that are located in DNA regions distant from the promoters of genes can have very large effects on gene expression, with some genes undergoing up to 100-fold increased expression due to such a cis-regulatory sequence. [3] These cis-regulatory sequences include enhancers, silencers, insulators and tethering elements. [4]
Any step of gene expression may be modulated, from signaling to transcription to post-translational modification of a protein. The following is a list of stages where gene expression is regulated, where the most extensively utilized point is transcription initiation, the first stage in transcription: [citation needed]
Gene expression can be regulated at any step: from transcriptional initiation, to RNA processing, to post-translational modification of the protein. The regulation of lactose metabolism genes in E. coli (lac operon) was the first such mechanism to be described in 1961. [77]
The gene to be inserted must be combined with other genetic elements in order for it to work properly. The gene can be modified at this stage for better expression or effectiveness. As well as the gene to be inserted most constructs contain a promoter and terminator region as well as a selectable marker gene.
Transcription factors are proteins that bind to specific DNA sequences in order to regulate the expression of a given gene. There are approximately 1,400 transcription factors in the human genome and they constitute about 6% of all human protein coding genes. [ 21 ]
Eukaryotic transcription occurs within the nucleus where DNA is packaged into nucleosomes and higher order chromatin structures. The complexity of the eukaryotic genome necessitates a great variety and complexity of gene expression control. Eukaryotic transcription proceeds in three sequential stages: initiation, elongation, and termination. [1]