Chapter 3 Outline

Mechanisms of Cell Differentiation

Defining Differential Gene Expression

  • Protein synthesis: A quick primer

Evidence for Genomic Equivalence

Functional Organization and Anatomy of the Gene

  • A view of the genomic forest
  • Chromatin
  • Exons and introns
  • Other major elements of a eukaryotic gene
  • The transcription product and how it is processed

Noncoding regulatory elements: The on, off, and dimmer switches of a gene

  • The role of transcription factors
  • Enhancer associations and modularity
  • Silencers
  • Gene regulatory elements: summary

Mechanisms of Differential Gene Expression: Transcription

  • Epigenetic modification: Modulating access to genes
    • Loosening and tightening chromatin: histones as gatekeepers
    • Histone methylation patterns are heritable
    • DNA methylation at promoters: To have or not to have CPG
    • DNA methylation patterns are heritable
  • Transcription factors regulate gene transcription
    • Transcription factors recruit histone-modifying enzymes
    • Transcription factors stabilize polymerase
    • Some transcription factors coordinate the timed expression of multiple genes
  • Pioneer transcription factors: breaking the silence
  • Transcriptional regulation of floral organ identity genes: Learn the ABCs
  • The gene regulatory network: Defining an individual cell

Mechanisms of Differential Gene Expression: Pre-messenger RNA Processing

  • Creating families of proteins through alternative pre-mRNA splicing

Mechanisms of Differential Gene Expression: mRNA Translation

  • Message stability and differential mRNA longevity
  • Stored oocyte mRNAs: Selective inhibition of mRNA translation
  • microRNAs: Specific regulation of mRNA translation and transcription
  • miRNAs and the maternal-to-zygotic transition

Mechanisms of Differential Gene Expression: Posttranslational Protein Modification

Coda

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