Can genes be turned on and off in cells?

Each cell expresses, or turns on, only a fraction of its genes. The rest of the genes are repressed, or turned off. The process of turning genes on and off is known as gene regulation. Gene regulation is an important part of normal development. Genes are turned on and off in different patterns during development to make a brain cell look and act different from a liver cell or a muscle cell, for example. Gene regulation also allows cells to react quickly to changes in their environments. Although we know that the regulation of genes is critical for life, this complex process is not yet fully understood.
Gene regulation can occur at any point during gene expression, but most commonly occurs at the level of transcription (when the information in a gene’s DNA is transferred to mRNA). Signals from the environment or from other cells activate proteins called transcription factors. These proteins bind to regulatory regions of a gene and increase or decrease the level of transcription. By controlling the level of transcription, this process can determine the amount of protein product that is made by a gene at any given time.

مواضيع ذات صلة

Genes in the Cell Nucleus Control Protein Synthesis

RNA Proofreading

Regulation of Transcription by DNA Modification

Electrostatic Forces that Determine Protein Structure

A peptide bond

ادوات قطع ولحم الـ DNA

مصير الـ DNA الغريب في النظام البكتيري

A Common Mechanism for Splicing Reactions

آليات واهمية النقل transduction mechanisms

النقل transduction

Regulation of Transcription by Chromatin

RNA Polymerase Binding and Regulation by Transcription Factors