BIO315 Molecular Biology, Study Guide T3
BIO315 Molecular Biology
Dr. Henning Schneider
Study Guide T3
DNA Recombination
1. Homologous Recombination
Concepts:
  1. Types of Homologous Recombination
  2. Molecular mechanisms of homologous recombination
  3. The RecBCD pathway of recombination
  4. Experimental approach to study homologous recombination
Study Questions:
  1. What types of homologous recombination are known?
  2. Explain the Holliday model of homologous replication.
  3. Describe the individual steps in the RecBCD pathway?
  4. What is the function of Rec A, B, C and proteins?
  5. Explain how the mechanism of strand initiation works.
  6. Outline the process of branch migration.
  7. Describe the individual steps during resolution of the Holliday junction.
  8. Explain the function of RuvA and RuvB.
  9. Explain the experimental approach to homologous replication using synthetic oligonucleotides to generate a Holliday junction.
  10. Explain the experiment that shows the cooperative binding of RuvA and RuvB.
  11. What is the function of RuvC?
  12. Generate a schematic diagram that shows the organization of the Holliday junction with all known proteins involved in the strand initiation and branch migration.
  13. Explain the function of the 'chi-site'.
  14. Outline the steps of meiotic recombination.
  15. Explain the difference between the Holliday model and the RecBCD model of DNA recombination.
2. Transposition I

Study Topics:

  1. Transposons in Prokaryotes
  2. Transposons in Eukaryotes
  3. Replicative and non-replicative (conservative) recombination
  4. Transposons ("jumping genes") regulate colorpatterns in corn and snapdragon.
Study Questions:
  1. How were transposons discovered in prokaryotes?
  2. How is a stem-loop strucutres to the organization of transposons.
  3. What methods can be used to measure the integration of transposons into DNA?
  4. Explain how direct repeats are generated during the integration of transposons.
  5. How can bacteria obtain amplicillin resistance?
  6. Explain the concept of "jumping genes" in maize
  7. Explain how transposition leads to the inactivation of genes.
  8. Explain how transposition leads to the activation of genes.
  9. What impact can a transposon have when it is integrated into a coding region?
  10. What impact can a transposon have when it is integrated into a gene regulatory region?
  11. Describe the structure of transposons in pro- and eukaryotes.
  12. Explain why transposons can insert themselves into the genome.
  13. Explain the activity of transposase.
  14. Explain the concept of "jumping genes" in maize.
  15. Explain the difference between a Dc and Ac tranposable elements in maize.
  16. Explain the phenotype of "jumping genes" in maize.
  17. Outline differences between transposons in pro- and eukaryotes.
  18. Explain why transposons can insert themselves into the genome.

Last modified on February 22, 2012 by HS.