Question

Which of these would be considered a cis-regulatory element for a gene? Group of answer choices
a.Methylation of DNA preventing transcription
b.A protein that binds to an enhancer to activate gene expression
c.A DNA binding protein that functions to repress transcription
d.A region of DNA sequence upstream of a gene where transcription factors bind
e.A ribosome that translates a mRNA sequence to produce a transcription factor

Answer 1

Answer:

The correct answer is option d. "A region of DNA sequence upstream of a gene where transcription factors bind".

Explanation:

Cis-regulatory elements (CREs) are fragments of DNA that do not encode to a protein, but regulate the transcription of nearby genes. CREs regulation is based on binding to transcription factors. These elements are vital for the regulation of complex molecular mechanisms that involve the participation of multiple genes. Additionally, CREs could participate in pleiotropy (a single gene being responsible for the development of multiple traits), because a single transcription factor could bind to different CREs.