Outline the critical features of the three phases of transcription. Explain how

Question

Outline the critical features of the three phases of transcription. Explain how each can be a good target to regulate gene expression? Which of the three phases is the most common target of regulatory mechanisms. Outline the critical features of the three phases of transcription. Explain how each can be a good target to regulate gene expression? Which of the three phases is the most common target of regulatory mechanisms. Outline the critical features of the three phases of transcription. Explain how each can be a good target to regulate gene expression? Which of the three phases is the most common target of regulatory mechanisms.

Explanation / Answer

The three basic phases of transcription are initiation, elongation, and termination. In initiation, RNA polymerase binds to the promoter (along with other factors), leading to the unwinding of the DNA at the start site and initial synthesis (in a 5' to 3' direction) of an RNA, using one of the DNA strands as a template. The elongation phase of transcription begins when the polymerase synthesizes a short stretch of RNA and clears the promoter. During elongation, the polymerase moves along the gene, synthesizing RNA as it goes, and also unwinds the DNA ahead of the polymerase, separates the growing RNA chain from the DNA, proofreads the RNA, and re-anneals the DNA behind the enzyme. During the termination phase, the polymerase stops synthesizing RNA, releases the transcript, and leaves the DNA template.

Initiation, the most common locus of regulatory action, can be targeted in any of a number of ways. For example, many regulators affect the binding of polymerase to the promoter, and numerous others modulate the ability of the polymerase to unwind the DNA and initiate RNA synthesis.

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