Gene Interactions
When the expression of a single trait is influenced by two or more different non-allelic genes, it is termed as genetic interaction. According to Mendel's law of inheritance, each gene functions in its own way and does not depend on the function of another gene, i.e., a single gene controls each of seven characteristics considered, but the complex contribution of many different genes determine many traits of an organism.
Gene Expression
Gene expression is a process by which the instructions present in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) are converted into useful molecules such as proteins, and functional messenger ribonucleic (mRNA) molecules in the case of non-protein-coding genes.
Using RNA-seq analysis of transcripts isolated from different organs in mice, you find that the GFAP
gene is expressed only in the brain. You examine expression in glia and neurons (two different cell
types found in the brain) and determine that GFAP mRNA and protein is made only in glia. This
gene has never been studied before, so you start by characterizing the cis-acting elements required
for brain-specific expression.
a. You decide to fuse pieces of DNA found upstream regions of the coding region of GAP to a
reporter gene (lacZ) and monitor expression. Different fragments (shown as dark lines) were
cloned next to the lac gene that lacked its own promoter. M and H are restriction enzyme
sites. From the data shown, determine which region contains the promoter and which
region contains an enhancer . Explain.
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