Table of contents

1. Introduction to Genetics51m
2. Mendel's Laws of Inheritance3h 37m
3. Extensions to Mendelian Inheritance2h 41m
4. Genetic Mapping and Linkage2h 28m
5. Genetics of Bacteria and Viruses1h 21m
6. Chromosomal Variation1h 48m
7. DNA and Chromosome Structure56m
8. DNA Replication1h 10m
9. Mitosis and Meiosis1h 34m
10. Transcription1h 0m
11. Translation58m
12. Gene Regulation in Prokaryotes1h 19m
13. Gene Regulation in Eukaryotes44m
14. Genetic Control of Development44m
15. Genomes and Genomics1h 50m
16. Transposable Elements47m
17. Mutation, Repair, and Recombination1h 6m
18. Molecular Genetic Tools19m
- Genetic Cloning
  9m
- Methods for Analyzing DNA
  9m
19. Cancer Genetics29m
- Overview of Cancer
  21m
- Cancer Mutations
  7m
20. Quantitative Genetics1h 26m
21. Population Genetics50m
- Hardy Weinberg
  19m
- Allelic Frequency Changes
  31m
22. Evolutionary Genetics29m

10. Transcription

RNA Modification and Processing

Genetics

10. Transcription

RNA Modification and Processing

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3:09 minutes

Problem 33b

Textbook Question

Isoginkgetin is a cell-permeable chemical isolated from the Ginkgo biloba tree that binds to and inhibits snRNPs.
Would this be most problematic for E. coli cells, yeast cells, or human cells? Why?

Verified step by step guidance

Understand the role of snRNPs (small nuclear ribonucleoproteins): These are essential components of the spliceosome, which is responsible for the removal of introns from pre-mRNA during RNA splicing in eukaryotic cells.

Recognize that E. coli cells are prokaryotic and do not have introns in their genes. Therefore, they do not require snRNPs or a spliceosome for gene expression.

Identify that yeast cells are eukaryotic and, like human cells, have introns in their genes. They rely on snRNPs for RNA splicing to produce mature mRNA.

Understand that human cells, being eukaryotic, also depend on snRNPs for RNA splicing. However, human cells typically have more complex splicing requirements due to the presence of alternative splicing, which allows a single gene to produce multiple proteins.

Conclude that the inhibition of snRNPs by isoginkgetin would not affect E. coli cells but would be problematic for yeast and human cells. Among these, human cells might be more severely affected due to their reliance on alternative splicing for generating protein diversity.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

snRNPs (small nuclear ribonucleoproteins)

snRNPs are essential components of the spliceosome, a complex responsible for the splicing of pre-mRNA in eukaryotic cells. They play a critical role in the removal of introns and the joining of exons, which is vital for producing mature mRNA that can be translated into proteins.

Eukaryotic vs. Prokaryotic Cells

Eukaryotic cells, such as those in yeast and humans, have a defined nucleus and complex organelles, while prokaryotic cells, like E. coli, lack a nucleus and have a simpler structure. This distinction is crucial because snRNPs are primarily involved in processes that occur in eukaryotic cells, making them less relevant in prokaryotic organisms.

Impact of Inhibiting snRNPs

Inhibiting snRNPs would disrupt the splicing process in eukaryotic cells, leading to the production of improperly processed mRNA and potentially nonfunctional proteins. This disruption can severely affect cellular function and viability, particularly in human and yeast cells, which rely on accurate mRNA splicing for gene expression.

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Related Practice

Textbook Question

Genomic DNA from a mouse is isolated, fragmented, and denatured into single strands. It is then mixed with mRNA isolated from the cytoplasm of mouse cells. The image represents an electron micrograph result showing the hybridization of single-stranded DNA and mRNA. Based on this electron micrograph image, how many introns and exons are present in the mouse DNA fragment shown?

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Textbook Question

A portion of a human gene is isolated from the genome and sequenced. The corresponding segment of mRNA is isolated from the cytoplasm of human cells, and it is also sequenced. The nucleic acid strings shown here are from genomic coding strand DNA and the corresponding mRNA.

Does this intron contain normal splice-site sequences?

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Textbook Question

There is one intron in the DNA sequence shown. Locate the intron and underline the splice site sequences.

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Textbook Question

Recent observations indicate that alternative splicing is a common way for eukaryotes to expand their repertoire of gene functions. Studies indicate that approximately 50 percent of human genes exhibit alternative splicing and approximately 15 percent of disease-causing mutations involve aberrant alternative splicing. Different tissues show remarkably different frequencies of alternative splicing, with the brain accounting for approximately 18 percent of such events [Xu et al. (2002). Nucl. Acids Res. 30:3754–3766].

Why might some tissues engage in more alternative splicing than others?

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Textbook Question

Isoginkgetin is a cell-permeable chemical isolated from the Ginkgo biloba tree that binds to and inhibits snRNPs.

What types of problems would you anticipate in cells treated with isoginkgetin?

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Textbook Question

Messenger RNA molecules are very difficult to isolate in bacteria because they are rather quickly degraded in the cell. Can you suggest a reason why this occurs? Eukaryotic mRNAs are more stable and exist longer in the cell than do bacterial mRNAs. Is this an advantage or a disadvantage for a pancreatic cell making large quantities of insulin?

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Multiple Choice

What is the primary function of the poly(A) tail added to eukaryotic mRNA during RNA processing?

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Multiple Choice

Which process involves the removal of non-coding sections from a pre-mRNA molecule during RNA modification and processing?

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