LECTURE 8

Genetic Code &

Transcriptional Control
Biology, Campbell & Reece. 7th Edn. Ch 17, pp.311-314, pp. 327-331; Ch 16, pp. 305-306

By

Mohamed Abumaree
Molecular Reproductive Biologist & Immunologist
College of Medicine
King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Science
2009
 Genetic Code
 61 of 64 triplets code for
amino acids
 AUG initiation codon
signals the start of mRNA
translation
 Codes for Met
 So polypeptide chains
begin with Met
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 An enzyme may
subsequently remove this
starter amino acid from
the chain

 3 termination codons
(stop) signal the end of
translation (don’t
designate amino acids)
 Gene Expression in
Prokaryotes & Eukaryotes
 Prokaryotes & eukaryotes perform
transcription & translation similarly, but
differences exist!!
 A prokaryotic cell simultaneously transcribe
& translate the same gene & the newly made
protein can quickly diffuse to its site of function
 In eukaryotes:

1) RNA polymerases depend on transcription factor

2) Transcription is terminated differently
3) Ribosomes are slightly different
4) Transcription (nucleus) is separated from translation
(cytoplasm) & RNA processing occurs in the nucleus
5) A complicated mechanisms target proteins to the
appropriate organelle
 Point mutations

Mutations are chemical changes in just

one base pair of a gene
 Type of Point Mutations

Substitutions Insertions & Deletions

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 Substitutions
The replacement of
one nucleotide &
its partner with
another pair of
nucleotides

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 Silent mutations: Same
amino acid & protein
 Missense mutation:
Different amino acid but
same protein function
 Nonsense mutation:
(Change causing translation
to be terminated prematurely
& the formation of a
polypeptide (nonfunctional)
shorter than the polypeptide
encoded by the normal gene
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2. Insertions & Deletions
 Additions or losses of nucleotide pairs in a gene
 Have a catastrophic effect on the protein more than
substitutions
 Because mRNA is read as a series of nucleotide
triplets during translation, the nucleotides
insertion/deletion alter the reading frame of the
genetic message, such a mutation, called a frameshift
mutation, which occurs whenever the number of
nucleotides inserted or deleted is not a multiple of three
 All nucleotides
downstream of
deletion or insertion
will be improperly
grouped into codons &
the result will be
extensive missense
probably ending sooner
or later in nonsense &
premature
termination
 Mutagens
 A number of physical & chemical
agents that interact with DNA causing
mutations

 Such as X–rays can cause genetic

changes
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 Mutagenic
radiation, a
physical mutagen,
includes ultraviolet
(UV) light, which
can cause
disruptive thymine
dimers in DNA

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