Question

To determine whether regulation of gene expression by short RNAs was a naturally occurring phenomenon, researchers isolated RNA from a cell and fractionated them by size to obtain only short RNAs. The next step was to clone these molecules.

Today the cloning step would not be required. Which of the techniques below is the best reason why?

Because a microarray could tell if the fragments were encoded by the genome.

Because a PCR reaction could tell if the fragments were encoded by the genome.

Because an RNA-seq reaction could tell if the fragments were encoded by the genome.

Because a yeast 2 hybrid could tell if the fragments were encoded by the genome.

Because a GFP fusion could tell if the fragments were encoded by the genome.

Which of the following would result in impaired export of a given mRNA molecule? Select all that apply.

There is a point mutation in the portion of the intron necessary to identify the intron/exon junction.

RNA polymerase III loses its CTD.

The cap binding proteins gain a mutation that alter the nuclear export sequence.

mRNA acetylation is decreased.

Fire and Mello conducted an experiment where they added no gene X RNA (b), anti-sense gene X RNA (c) or double stranded gene X RNA (d) to C. elegans embryos. They then did a hybridization experiment examining gene X mRNA levels in the embryo.

Imagine this experiment was a protein X western blot (using an anti-X antibody) instead of a hybridization experiment. Describe the expected results. Select all that apply.

No band would be present in a lane containing protein extracts of embryos treated with double stranded gene X RNA.

No band would be present in a lane containing protein extracts of untreated embryos

A faint band would be present in a lane containing protein extracts of embryos treated with anti-sense gene X RNA.

Answer 1