Molecular Biology

Thought Questions for Exam 2

Hao Nguyen

 

1.   What is the function of a promoter?  Where is a promoter located?  What is the function of a core promoter?  Where is a core promoter located?

 

2.   What are enhancers and silencers?  Where are they located?  What are their functions?

 

3.   Describe the initiation of transcription.  Name and describe the function(s) of all enzymes, molecules, and structures that are involved in each process.

 

4.   What are RNA polymerases?  Where do they bind?  What are their functions?

 

5.   Why do eukaryotic cells need to undergo co-transcriptional modifications?  Name and describe the function(s) of all the different co-transcriptional modifications.  Name and describe the function(s) of all enzymes, molecules, and structures that are involved in each process.

 

6.   What is the difference between a Primary (or Pre-mRNA) transcript and a mature mRNA?  Where is each found?  What is the relationship between the two?

 

7.   What are heterogeneous nuclear RNA’s?  Where are they found?

 

8.   What is a spliceosome?  What is a pre-spliceosome?  What is a small nuclear RNA?  What is a small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (or snRNP)?  Name examples of snRNP's and describe the function(s) of each.  What is a ribozyme?

 

9.   How is transcription terminated in a eukaryotic cell?  Describe the process of Polyadenylation.  Name and describe the function(s) of all enzymes, molecules, and structures that are involved in each process.

 

10.  What is meant by upstream and downstream in Molecular Biology?

 

11.  What is the direction of mRNA synthesis?  What is the direction of the template used?

 

12.  What is RNA interference?  Describe the mechanism of this process.  Why is this process needed in the eukaryotic cell?  What is post-transcriptional gene silencing?

 

13.  What is/are the difference(s) between Transcription Factors and General Transcription Factors?

 

14.  What is a cryptic splicing site?  What is/are the difference(s) between Constitutive RNA Splicing and Alternative RNA Splicing?  Why are both required?

 

15.  Name and describe the function(s) of all known types of RNA.

 

16.  Name and describe the functions of each type of Co-transcriptional modification.