Transcription factors

What is pre-transcription?

Regulatory mechanisms to prevent DNA from being transcribed and therefore proteins from being produced

What is post-transcription?

Where mRNA is destroyed before translation

What is post-translation?

Polypeptide chain is destroyed after translation

What are transcription factors?

Control gene expression. They are proteins that control the transcription of genes by binding to a specific region of DNA. Ensures genes are expressed in correct cells at correct concs+times

What are activators?

Increase the rate of transcription, they work by helping RNA polymerase to bind to the DNA at the start of the gene to begin transcription

What are repressors?

Decrease rate of transcription, stop RNA polymerase from binding to the DNA at the start of the gene, preventing the transcription of the gene

What do some transcription factors bind to?

The promoter region of a gene - this either allows or prevents the transcription of the gene from taking place due to the interaction of RNA polymerase

What are tumour suppressor genes?

Regulate cell division

What are proto-oncogenes?

Regulate cell davison

What can happen to proto-oncogenes?

Mutations - they become oncogenes which lead to uncontrolled division leading to cancer