Transcriptional Regulation in Eukaryotes

This set of flashcards covers key terms and concepts related to transcriptional regulation in eukaryotes as discussed in the lecture.

Transcriptional regulation

The process of controlling whether transcription occurs and to what extent a gene is transcribed.

Basal transcription

A low level of transcription that occurs from the core promoter without regulatory factors.

General transcription factors (GTFs)

Proteins required by RNA polymerase to initiate transcription in eukaryotic cells.

Mediator

A protein complex that helps regulate the process of transcription by facilitating the interaction between transcription factors and RNA polymerase.

Regulatory transcription factors

Proteins that influence the ability of RNA polymerase to transcribe a gene, categorized into activators and repressors.

Enhancers

DNA sites where regulatory transcription factors bind to increase the level of transcription.

Nucleosome-free region (NFR)

A region of DNA that lacks nucleosomes, allowing transcription factors to bind and transcription to occur.

Covalent modification

Chemical changes to proteins, such as phosphorylation, that can alter their function and activity.

ChIP-Seq (Chromatin Immunoprecipitation Sequencing)

A method used to analyze protein interactions with DNA and determine where transcription factors bind in the genome.

Glucocorticoids

A type of steroid hormone that influences metabolism and gene expression by binding to regulatory transcription factors.