1. Location of Genes and Gene Expression

2. Location of Genes in Cells
Genes are located on chromosomes
Geneticists use maps to describe the location of genes
Various types including Cytogenetic and Molecular, maps.
Cytogenetic:
Based on the distinct pattern of bands created when chromosomes are stained with dyes

3. Cytogenetic map...1
Based on the distinct pattern of bands created when chromosomes are stained with dyes
Describes the position of a gene on a specific stained chromosome
Cytogenetic maps indicate the chromosome the gene is located on, either 1 – 22 or X and Y
The arm of the chromosome, relative to the position of the centromere
Either p (short arm)or q (long arm)
Position of the gene on either arm
For example: 14q21 represents position 21 on the long arm of chromosome 14.
14q21 is closer to the centromere than 14q22

4. Cytogenetic map...2
The CFTR gene is located on the long arm of chromosome 7 at position 7q31.2

5. Abbreviations used in cytogenetic maps
‘Cen’ or ‘ter’ are also used to describe a gene’s cytogenetic location
‘Cen’ indicates that the gene is very close to the centromere
‘Ter’ stands for terminus, which indicates that the gene is very close to the end of either the p or q arm
For example
16pcen : means short arm of chromosome 16 near the centromere
14qter : means tip of the long arm of chromosome 14
‘Tel’ is also sometimes used to describe a gene’s location
‘Tel’ stands for telomeres, which are at the ends of each chromosome
The abbreviations ‘tel’ and ‘ter’ refer to the same location

6. Cytogenetic map...3 Example:
What does the cytogenetic map 21q13 indicate?
This gene is located on position 13 of the long arm of chromosome 21

7. Molecular location...1
Based on research conducted by the Human Genome Project and completed in 2003
Utilizes the sequence of base pairs for each human chromosome
A molecular address pinpoints the location of a gene in terms of base pairs
It describes the gene’s exact position on a chromosome and indicates the size of the gene
Knowing the molecular location enables researchers determine exactly how far a gene is from other genes on the same chromosome

8. Molecular location...2 For example
the APOE gene, (according to the National Centre for Biology, US) on chromosome 19 begins with base pair and ends with base pair
The size of this gene is base pairs
Different groups of researchers often present slightly different values for a gene’s
molecular location. Researchers interpret the sequence of the human genome using
a variety of methods, which can result in small differences in a gene’s molecular
address. Genetics Home Reference presents data from NCBI
( for the molecular location of
genes.

9. Gene Expression and Environmental Influences...1
Gene expression: process of turning genes on and off
All cells have the same genetic information
Each cell expresses, or turns on, only a fraction of its genes
The rest of the genes are repressed, or turned off
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
Gene regulation 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.

10. Gene Expression and Environmental Influences...2
Gene regulation can occur at any point during gene expression, but most commonly occurs at the level of transcription
the information in a gene’s DNA is transferred to mRNA
genetic information always goes from DNA to RNA to protein
a given cell only transcribes a specific set of genes and not others
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
These include
drugs and chemicals
Temperature and light
Physiology, i.e. is the presence of androgens or estrogens
Sometimes the expression of a gene requires the function of two or more different transcription factors.

11. Questions??