Transcriptional Machinery
Transcriptional Machinery - Related Videos
10:28
The Encapsulation of Cell-free Transcription and Translation Machinery in Vesicles for the Construction of Cellular Mimics
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Cited by 12 •
2013
Herein we describe simple methods for the preparation of vesicles, the encapsulation of transcription and translation machinery, and the monitoring of protein production. The resulting cell-free systems can be used as a starting point from which to build increasingly complex cellular mimics.
10:28
Repressing Gene Transcription by Redirecting Cellular Machinery with Chemical Epigenetic Modifiers
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Cited by 7 •
2018
Regulation of the chromatin environment is an essential process required for proper gene expression. Here, we describe a method for controlling gene expression through the recruitment of chromatin-modifying machinery in a gene-specific and reversible manner.
02:35
Transcription Elongation Factors
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2020
Transcription elongation is a dynamic process that alters depending upon the sequence heterogeneity of the DNA being transcribed. Hence, it is not surprising that the elongation complex's composition also varies along the way while transcribing a gene. The transcription elongation is regulated via pausing of RNA polymerase on several occasions during transcription. In bacteria, these halts are necessary because the transcription of DNA into mRNA is coupled to the translation of that mRNA into a...
08:05
Small-scale Nuclear Extracts for Functional Assays of Gene-expression Machineries
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Cited by 37 •
2012
A protocol for preparation of robust, small-scale HeLa nuclear extracts is described. This protocol is valuable for assays that require use of small populations of cells, such as cells treated with drugs or RNAi. The method should be applicable to a wide variety of gene expression assays and other cell types, including patient cells.
01:52
Eukaryotic Transcription Inhibitors
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2020
Certain biochemical processes, such as embryonic development and cell growth regulation, depend on the repression of specific genes. DNA binding proteins known as eukaryotic transcription inhibitors regulate the repression of gene expression in eukaryotes. The presence of these inhibitors at the required location and time in the cell is triggered by the presence of hormones and additional signals from other cells. Eukaryotic transcription inhibitors usually contain two distinct domains, a DNA...
FAQs
Promoter recognition determines where RNA polymerase engages a gene, while transcription factors help the polymerase bind that specific DNA region. This interaction provides a regulatory point before RNA synthesis begins, allowing cells to control which genes are transcribed. Changes in transcription-factor activity can therefore alter gene expression patterns across different cellular conditions.
RNA polymerase must locally open the DNA double helix to expose the template strand. Once exposed, that strand guides construction of a complementary RNA sequence as the polymerase advances. Local rather than complete DNA separation allows transcription to proceed along the gene while the rest of the DNA remains paired, supporting controlled information transfer from a selected region.
Chromatin structure can regulate how accessible genes are to RNA polymerase and regulatory proteins. More or less accessible DNA changes the opportunity for promoter binding and subsequent RNA production, making chromatin an important control layer beyond the polymerase itself. This mechanism helps explain how cells with the same genetic information can express different sets of genes.
A simplified workflow begins when regulatory proteins and RNA polymerase recognize and engage a gene’s promoter. The DNA then opens locally, exposing the template strand, and polymerase builds a complementary RNA strand while moving along that template. The resulting RNA carries copied genetic information that can support production of functional proteins or regulatory RNAs.
Cell differentiation and development depend on different cells activating distinct gene-expression programs. Regulation at promoters, through transcription factors, and through chromatin structure helps determine which genes are transcribed in a particular cellular context. Studying these controls clarifies how shared genetic information can produce specialized cell types and coordinated developmental changes.
Mutations, regulatory changes, or drugs that affect transcriptional machinery can change when, where, or how efficiently genes are expressed. Such misregulation may contribute to disease-associated expression patterns, while drug effects can reveal which components control particular transcriptional outcomes. Investigating these changes connects molecular mechanisms with altered cellular behavior and disease biology.