DNA Transcription- Part-1

DNA Transcription (Part-1)

By- Professor (Dr.) Namrata Chhabra
Biochemistry For Medics- Lecture Notes
www.namrata.co

1

Flow of genetic information

• The genetic information flows from DNA to
mRNA and then to the protein synthesizing
machinery.

2

DNA TranscriptionIntroduction
•The synthesis of an RNA molecule from DNA is
called Transcription.
• All eukaryotic cells have five major classes of
RNA: ribosomal RNA (rRNA), messenger RNA
(mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), small nuclear
RNA and microRNA (snRNA and miRNA).
•The first three are involved in protein synthesis,
while the small RNAs are involved in mRNA
splicing and regulation of gene expression.

Similarities between Replication
and Transcription
The processes of DNA and RNA
synthesis are similar in that
they involve(1) the general steps of initiation,
elongation, and termination
with 5' to 3' polarity;
(2) large, multicomponent
initiation complexes; and
(3) adherence to Watson-Crick
base-pairing rules.

4

Differences between Replication
and Transcription
(1) Ribonucleotides are used in RNA synthesis
rather than deoxy ribonucleotides;
(2) U replaces T as the complementary base pair for
A in RNA;
(3) A primer is not involved in RNA synthesis;
(4) Only a portion of the genome is transcribed or
copied into RNA, whereas the entire genome
must be copied during DNA replication; and
(5) There is no proofreading function during RNA
transcription.

5

Template strand

•The strand that is transcribed or copied into an RNA molecule is
referred to as the template strand of the DNA.
•The other DNA strand, the non-template strand, is frequently
referred to as the coding strand of that gene.
6

Template strand
• The information in the template strand is read
out in the 3' to 5' direction
• The sequence of ribonucleotides in the RNA
molecule is complementary to the sequence of
deoxy ribonucleotides in template strand of the
double-stranded DNA molecule
• In the coding strand (complementary strand)
the sequence is same as that of the sequence of
nucleotides in the primary transcript.

7

Template strand (contd.)

With the exception of T for U changes,
coding strand corresponds exactly to the
sequence of the RNA primary transcript,
which encodes the (protein) product of the
gene.

8

Template strand (contd.)
• In the case of a double-stranded DNA
molecule containing many genes, the template
strand for each gene will not necessarily be the
same strand of the DNA double helix.
• Thus, a given strand of a double-stranded DNA
molecule will serve as the template strand for
some genes and the coding strand of other
genes.

9

Transcription unit
• A transcription unit is defined as that region of DNA
that includes the signals for transcription initiation,
elongation, and termination.
• DNA-dependent RNA polymerase is the enzyme
responsible for the polymerization of ribonucleotides
into a sequence complementary to the template strand
of the gene.
• The enzyme attaches at a specific site—the
promoter—on the template strand.
• This is followed by initiation of RNA synthesis at the
starting point, and the process continues until a
termination sequence is reached.

10

Transcription unit and Primary
transcript


11

Primary transcript
• The RNA product, which is synthesized in the 5'
to 3' direction, is the primary transcript.
• In prokaryotes, this can represent the product of
several contiguous genes
• In mammalian cells, it usually represents the
product of a single gene
• The 5' terminals of the primary RNA transcript
and the mature cytoplasmic RNA are identical.
• The starting point of transcription corresponds
to the 5' nucleotide of the mRNA.

12

Primary transcript
• This is designated position +1, as is the
corresponding nucleotide in the DNA
• The numbers increase as the sequence
proceeds downstream.
• The nucleotide in the promoter adjacent to the
transcription initiation site is designated -1,
• These negative numbers increase as the sequence
proceeds upstream, away from the initiation site.
• This provides a conventional way of defining the
location of regulatory elements in the promoter.

13

Transcription unit


14

Bacterial DNA-Dependent RNA
Polymerase
The DNA-dependent RNA
polymerase (RNAP) of the
bacterium Escherichia coli exists
as an approximately 400 kDa core
complex consisting of•two identical α subunits,
•similar but not identical β and β '
subunits, and
•an ω subunit and a
•A sigma subunit (σ)
•Beta is thought to be the catalytic
subunit.

15

Bacterial DNA-Dependent RNA
Polymerase
• RNAP, a metalloenzyme, also contains two zinc
molecules.
• The core RNA polymerase associates with a
specific protein factor (the sigma σ factor) that
helps the core enzyme recognize and bind to the
specific deoxynucleotide sequence of the
promoter region to form the preinitiation complex
(PIC)
• Bacteria contain multiple factors, each of which
acts as a regulatory protein.

16

Mammalian DNA-Dependent RNA
Polymerases
Mammalian cells possess three distinct nuclear
DNA-Dependent RNA Polymerases
• RNA polymerase I is for the synthesis of r
RNA
• RNA polymerase II is for the synthesis of m
RNA and miRNA
• RNA polymerase III is for the synthesis of
tRNA/5S rRNA, snRNA

17

Prokaryotic transcription
Steps of RNA SynthesisThe process of transcription of a typical gene of
E. Coli can be divided in to three phasesi) Initiation
ii) Elongation
iii) Termination


18

Overview of Prokaryotic DNA
Transcription


19

i) Initiation of Transcription
• Initiation of transcription involves the binding of the
RNA polymerase holoenzyme to the promoter region
on the DNA to form a preinitiation complex, or PIC
• Characteristic "Consensus" nucleotide sequence of the
prokaryotic promoter region are highly conserved.


20

Structure of bacterial prokaryotic
promoter region
Pribnow box
• This is a stretch of 6 nucleotides (
5'- TATAAT-3') centered about 810 nucleotides to the left of the
transcription start site.
-35 Sequence
• A second consensus nucleotide
sequence ( 5'- TTGACA-3'), is
centered about 35 bases to the
left of the transcription start site.

21

(contd.)
• Binding of RNA-polymerase (RNAP) to the
promoter region is followed by a conformational
change of the RNAP, and the first nucleotide
(almost always a purine) then associates with the
initiation site on the subunit of the enzyme.
• In the presence of the appropriate
nucleotide, RNAP catalyzes the formation of a
phosphodiester bond, and the nascent chain is
now attached to the polymerization site on the
subunit of RNAP.

22

(contd.)
• In both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, a purine
ribonucleotide is usually the first to be
polymerized into the RNA molecule.
• After 10–20 nucleotides have been
polymerized, RNAP undergoes a second
conformational change leading to promoter
clearance.
• Once this transition occurs, RNAP physically
moves away from the promoter, transcribing
down the transcription unit, leading to the next
phase of the process, elongation.

23

(contd.)


24

II) Elongation step of
Transcription
• As the elongation complex containing the core
RNA polymerase progresses along the DNA
molecule, DNA unwinding must occur in order to
provide access for the appropriate base pairing to
the nucleotides of the template strand.
• The extent of this transcription bubble (i.e., DNA
unwinding) is constant throughout and is about
20 base pairs per polymerase molecule.


25

Transcription
• RNA polymerase has
associated with it an
"unwindase" activity that
opens the DNA helix.
• Topo isomerase both
precedes and follows the
progressing RNAP to
prevent the formation of
super helical complexes.
• Base pairing rule is followed
during the incorporation of Medics- Lecture Notes
Biochemistry For
ribonucleotides

26

Transcription


27

III) Termination of transcription
Termination of the synthesis of the RNA molecule
in bacteria is of two typesa) Rho (ρ) dependent termination•The termination process is signaled by a sequence
in the template strand of the DNA molecule—a
signal that is recognized by a termination protein,
the rho (ρ) factor.
•Rho is an ATP-dependent RNA-stimulated helicase
that disrupts the nascent RNA-DNA complex.

28


29

(contd.)
b) Rho independent termination
• This process requires the presence of intrachain
self complementary sequences in the newly
formed primary transcript so that it can acquire a
stable hair pin turn that slows down the progress
of the RNA polymerase and causes it to pause
temporarily.
• Near the stem of the hairpin, a sequence occurs
that is rich in G and C.
• This stabilizes the secondary structure of the hair
pin.

30

(contd.)
•Beyond the hair
pin, the RNA
transcript contains
a strings of Us, the
bonding of Us to
the corresponding
As is weak.
•This facilitates the
dissociation of the
primary transcript
from DNA.

31

(contd.)
• After termination of synthesis of the RNA
molecule, the enzyme separates from the DNA
template.
• With the assistance of another factor, the core
enzyme then recognizes a promoter at which
the synthesis of a new RNA molecule
commences.

32

Eukaryotic transcription
• The general process of transcription can be
applied to both prokaryotic cells and
eukaryotic cells.
• The basic biochemistry for each is the same;
however, the specific mechanisms and
regulation of transcription differ between
prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
• Transcription of eukaryotic genes is far more a
complicated process than prokaryotes.

33

Prokaryotic versus Eukaryotic
Transcription
1) Location
• In prokaryotes (bacteria), transcription occurs
in the cytoplasm.
• Translation of the mRNA into proteins also
occurs in the cytoplasm


34

Transcription
• In eukaryotes,
transcription occurs in
the cell's nucleus,
mRNA then moves to
the cytoplasm for
translation.


35

Transcription
2) Genome size
• The genome size is much larger in eukaryotes,
• Greater specificity is needed for the
transcription of eukaryotic genes.


36

Transcription

3) Chromatin Structure
• DNA in prokaryotes is much more
accessible to RNA polymerase than
DNA in eukaryotes.
• Eukaryotic DNA is wrapped around
proteins called histones to form
structures called nucleosomes
• Eukaryotic DNA is packed to form
chromatin .
• While RNA polymerase interacts
directly with prokaryotic DNA,
other proteins mediate the
interaction between RNA
Biochemistry For Medics- Lecture
polymerase and DNA in eukaryotes Notes

37

Transcription
4) RNA polymerases
• There are three distinct classes of RNA polymerases in
eukaryotic cells. All are large enzymes with multiple
subunits. Each class of RNA polymerase recognizes
particular types of genes.
• RNA polymerase I- Synthesizes the precursor of the
large ribosomal RNAs (28S, 18S and 5.8S).
• RNA polymerase II - Synthesizes the precursors of
messenger RNA and small nuclear RNAs(snRNAs).
• RNA polymerase III- Synthesizes small
RNA, including t RNAs, small 5S RNA and some
snRNAs.

38

Transcription
5) Promoter regions
• Eukaryotic promoters are more complex.
• Two types of sequence elements are promoter-proximal
and distal regulatory elements.
• There are two elements in promoter proximal ,One of
these defines where transcription is to
commence along the DNA, and the other contributes to
the mechanisms that control how frequently this event
is to occur.
• Most mammalian genes have a TATA box that is
usually located 25–30 bp upstream from the
transcription start site.

39

Transcription
• The consensus sequence for a TATA box is
TATAAA, though numerous variations have been
characterized.
• Sequences farther upstream from the start site determine
how frequently the transcription event occurs.
• Typical of these DNA elements are the GC and CAAT
boxes, so named because of the DNA sequences involved.
• Each of these boxes binds a specific protein.
• Distal regulatory elements enhance or decrease the rate of
transcription.
• They include the enhancer/ silencer regions and other
regulatory elements.

40

Transcription


41

Transcription
6) Promoter identification
• In contrast to the situation in prokaryotes,
eukaryotic RNA polymerases alone are not able to
discriminate between promoter sequences and
other regions of DNA
• The TATA box is bound by 34 kDa TATA
binding protein (TBP), which in turn binds
several other proteins called TBP-associated
factors (TAFs).
• This complex of TBP and TAFs is referred to as
TFIID

42

Transcription

• Formation of the basal transcription complex begins
when TFIID binds to the TATA box.
• It directs the assembly of several other components by
protein-DNA and protein-protein interactions. T
• The entire complex spans DNA from position -30 to
+30 relative to the initiation site.

43

Transcription
• Binding of TFIID to the TATA box sequence is
thought to represent the first step in the
formation of the transcription complex on the
promoter.
• Another set of proteins—co activators—help
regulate the rate of transcription initiation by
interacting with transcription activators that
bind to upstream DNA elements

44

Transcription
7) Enhancers and Repressors
• A third class of sequence elements can either
increase or decrease the rate of transcription
initiation of eukaryotic genes
• These elements are called either enhancers or
repressors (or silencers), depending on which
effect they have.


45

Transcription
• They have been found in a variety of locations both
upstream and downstream of the transcription start site
and even within the transcribed portions of some genes.
• In contrast to proximal and upstream promoter
elements, enhancers and silencers can exert their effects
when located hundreds or even thousands of bases
away from transcription units located on the same
chromosome.
• Hormone response elements (for steroids, T3, retinoic
acid, peptides, etc) act as—or in conjunction with—
enhancers or silencers

46

Transcription
7) Termination of transcription
• The signals for the termination of transcription by
eukaryotic RNA polymerase II are very poorly
understood.
8) Processing of primary transcript
• mRNA produced as a result of transcription is not
modified in prokaryotic cells. Eukaryotic cells modify
mRNA by RNA splicing, 5' end capping, and addition
of a polyA tail.
• Most eukaryotic RNAs are synthesized as precursors
that contain excess sequences which are removed prior
to the generation of mature, functional RNA.

47

Transcription summary
• To revise the concepts follow the links
• http://highered.mcgrawhill.com/sites/0072507470/student_view0/chap
ter3/animation__mrna_synthesis__transcriptio
n___quiz_1_.html
• http://telstar.ote.cmu.edu/biology/animation/D
naTranscription/transcription_simple.html
• http://bcs.whfreeman.com/thelifewire/content/
chp12/1202001.html

48

DNA Transcription- Part-1

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