Gene Regulation and Breast Cancer Researchers have found that breast cancer cells commonly express a transcription factor known as Ets1 at high levels. Many types of breast cancer are also sensitive to the presence of the hormone estrogen. In estrogen-sensitive breast cancers, tumors grow much more quickly when high levels of estrogen are present. A biologist decides to design an experiment to determine if there was any cooperation between estrogen and Ets1in causing tumor growth. The biologist developed two types of breast cancer cells: one that expressed Ets1 at very high levels, designated as Ets+, and one that was unable to express Ets1, designated as Ets–. The biologist used four test groups in an experiment: 1.  Ets1+ cells with added estrogen 2.  Ets1- cells with added estrogen 3.  Ets1+ cells without estrogen 4.  Ets1- cells without estrogen The growth rate of each group of cells was monitored and recorded. Use the passage to answer the question. RNAi has been proposed as a possible way to treat breast cancer and reduce the growth of tumor cells. Which of the following is a possible mechanism for how RNAi could prevent the growth of tumor cells by reducing the concentration of Ets1 in the cells?  A. Short segments of DNA that are complementary to the mRNA that codes for transcription factors such as Ets1 could be introduced into the tumor cells. This would prevent transcription of the gene that codes for Ets1 and therefore reduce its concentration in the cell. B. Repressor proteins can be introduced into the tumor cells. These would bind Ets1 and prevent it from initiating transcription of growth-promoting genes. C. Short segments of RNA that are complementary to the mRNA that codes for transcription factors such as Ets1 could be introduced into the tumor cells. This would cause the mRNA to be degraded before translation could occur, preventing the synthesis of Ets1. D. Viral vectors can be used to introduce new genes that will cause the cell to undergo programmed cell death.

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Gene Regulation and Breast Cancer

Researchers have found that breast cancer cells commonly express a transcription factor known as Ets1 at high levels. Many types of breast cancer are also sensitive to the presence of the hormone estrogen. In estrogen-sensitive breast cancers, tumors grow much more quickly when high levels of estrogen are present. A biologist decides to design an experiment to determine if there was any cooperation between estrogen and Ets1in causing tumor growth.

The biologist developed two types of breast cancer cells: one that expressed Ets1 at very high levels, designated as Ets+, and one that was unable to express Ets1, designated as Ets–. The biologist used four test groups in an experiment:

1.  Ets1+ cells with added estrogen

2.  Ets1- cells with added estrogen

3.  Ets1+ cells without estrogen

4.  Ets1- cells without estrogen

The growth rate of each group of cells was monitored and recorded.

Use the passage to answer the question.

RNAi has been proposed as a possible way to treat breast cancer and reduce the growth of tumor cells. Which of the following is a possible mechanism for how RNAi could prevent the growth of tumor cells by reducing the concentration of Ets1 in the cells? 

A. Short segments of DNA that are complementary to the mRNA that codes for transcription factors such as Ets1 could be introduced into the tumor cells. This would prevent transcription of the gene that codes for Ets1 and therefore reduce its concentration in the cell.
B. Repressor proteins can be introduced into the tumor cells. These would bind Ets1 and prevent it from initiating transcription of growth-promoting genes.
C. Short segments of RNA that are complementary to the mRNA that codes for transcription factors such as Ets1 could be introduced into the tumor cells. This would cause the mRNA to be degraded before translation could occur, preventing the synthesis of Ets1.
D. Viral vectors can be used to introduce new genes that will cause the cell to undergo programmed cell death.
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