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Chapter 13: Problem 34

Through genetic engineering, a geneticist mutates the gene that encodes TBP in cultured human cells. This mutation destroys the ability of TBP to bind to the TATA box. Predict the effect of this mutation on cells that possess it.

Short Answer

Expert verified
The mutation would impair gene transcription, likely leading to cellular dysfunction and possible cell death.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding TBP Function

The TATA-binding protein (TBP) is essential for initiating transcription. It binds to the TATA box within the promoter region of a gene, facilitating the assembly of the transcription initiation complex.
02

Impact of TBP Mutation

If a mutation prevents TBP from binding to the TATA box, transcription initiation is impaired. This means that genes requiring TBP for their expression cannot be transcribed into RNA.
03

Effect on Gene Expression

Without proper TBP function, the transcription of many essential genes will not occur. This affects mRNA production and ultimately protein synthesis, which can lead to cellular dysfunction or death.
04

Overall Cell Impact

Cells with the TBP mutation may experience halted gene expression for numerous critical genes, leading to loss of cell function and potential cell death due to the lack of necessary proteins.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

TATA-binding protein
The TATA-binding protein (TBP) is a crucial component for transcription initiation in eukaryotic cells.
It is part of a larger protein complex known as the transcription factor IID (TFIID). TBP has a specific job: binding to the TATA box, which is a DNA sequence found in the promoter region of many genes.
Once TBP binds to the TATA box, it acts as a scaffold to recruit other proteins necessary for transcription. This forms the basis of the transcription initiation complex.
Without TBP, these processes can't begin, leading to disrupted gene expression.
Understanding TBP's role helps us appreciate how vital these processes are for cellular function.
Gene Expression
Gene expression is the process by which information from a gene is used to synthesize functional gene products, usually proteins. It is a fundamental process that determines how cells function and what types of cellular products are produced.
The central dogma of molecular biology describes this flow of information:
  • DNA is transcribed into RNA
  • RNA is translated into proteins
If a mutation occurs that affects components involved in gene expression, like TBP, the entire process is impacted.
This can prevent genes from being expressed properly, leading to a lack of necessary proteins, which can cause significant cellular issues or dysfunction.
Transcription Initiation
Transcription initiation is the first step in gene expression, where the DNA sequence of a gene is copied into RNA. This process begins at the promoter region of the gene.
Key players in this process include:
  • The TATA-binding protein (TBP), which recognizes and binds to the TATA box
  • General transcription factors, which form a complex to initiate the transcription process
Once TBP binds, it helps assemble the transcription machinery at the promoter.
This allows RNA polymerase II, the enzyme that synthesizes RNA, to attach and begin transcribing the gene into RNA.
Any disruption in this step, such as a TBP mutation, can hinder transcription and affect gene expression.
TBP Mutation
A mutation in the gene encoding TBP can have severe consequences for cell function. If this mutation prevents TBP from binding to the TATA box, it disrupts transcription initiation.
Without TBP binding, the recruitment of essential transcriptional proteins is obstructed.
This means the transcription machinery cannot properly assemble and initiate RNA synthesis for genes that rely on a TATA box.
The absence of necessary proteins due to this hindered transcription can lead to:
  • Impaired mRNA production
  • Deficient protein synthesis
  • Cellular dysfunction or cell death
Therefore, understanding the potential impacts of TBP mutations can provide insights into genetic diseases and cellular malfunctions.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Most RNA molecules have three phosphate groups at the \(5^{\prime}\) end, but DNA molecules never do. Explain this difference.

Compare the roles of general transcription factors and transcriptional activator proteins.

In Glenn Croston and his colleagues studied the relation between chromatin structure and transcription activity. In one set of experiments, they measured the level of in vitro transcription of a Drosophila gene by RNA polymerase II in the presence of DNA and various combinations of histone proteins (G. E. Croston et al. 1991. Science 251:643-649). First, they measured the level of transcription of naked DNA, with no associated histone proteins. Then they measured the level of transcription after nucleosome octamers (without H1) were added to the DNA. The addition of the octamers caused the level of transcription to drop by \(50 \% .\) When both nucleosome octamers and H1 proteins were added to the DNA, transcription was greatly repressed, dropping to less than \(1 \%\) of that obtained with naked DNA, as shown in the table below. GAL4-VP16 is a protein that binds to the DNA of certain eukaryotic genes. When GAL4-VP16 is added to DNA, the level of transcription by RNA polymerase II is greatly elevated. $$\begin{array}{cc} \text { Treatment } & \text { Relative amount of } \\ \text {} & \text { transcription }\\\ \text { Naked DNA } & 100 \\ \text { DNA + octamers } & 50 \\ \text { DNA + octamers \(+\mathrm{H}_{1}\) } & <1 \\ \text { DNA + GAL4-VP16 } & 1000 \\ \text { DNA + octamers + GAL4-VP16 } & 1000 \\ \text { DNA + octamers \(+\mathrm{H} 1+\) GAL4-VP16 } & 1000\\\ \end{array}$$ Even in the presence of the H1 protein, GAL4-VP16 stimulates high levels of transcription. Propose a mechanism by which the H1 protein represses transcription and by which GAL4-VP16 overcomes this repression. Explain how your proposed mechanism would produce the results obtained in these experiments.

Elaborate repair mechanisms that prevent permanent mutations in DNA are associated with replication, yet no similar repair process is associated with transcription. Can you think of a reason for this difference between replication and transcription? (Hint: Think about the relative effects of a permanent mutation in a DNA molecule and one in an RNA molecule.)

A strain of bacteria possesses a temperature-sensitive mutation in the gene that encodes the rho subunit. At high temperatures, rho is not functional. When these bacteria are raised at elevated temperatures, which of the following effects would you expect to see? Explain your reasoning for accepting or rejecting each of these five options. a. Transcription does not take place. b. All RNA molecules are shorter than normal. c. All RNA molecules are longer than normal. d. Some RNA molecules are longer than normal. e. RNA is copied from both DNA strands.
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