Skip to main content
Ch. 16+17 - Transcription, RNA Processing, and Translation

Chapter 16, Problem 15

Biologists have investigated how fast pre-mRNA splicing occurs by treating cells with a toxin that blocks the production of new pre-mRNAs, then following the rate of splicing of the pre-mRNAs that were transcribed before adding the toxin. Why is addition of a toxin important in this study?

Verified Solution
Video duration:
2m
This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above.
Was this helpful?

Video transcript

Hello, everyone and welcome to today's video. So how does the introduction of certain toxins such as the Pr toxin help investigate the speed of pre MRN A splicing? Well, in order to solve this problem, we're going to think about how these pr toxins work. Well, if we have an MRN A or just a pre MRN A molecule that we want to study the speed of splicing. A very important thing that we need to do is isolate it normally in a cell, we have a lot of MRN A floating around. So if we keep synthesizing MRN A, it's going to get to the point where it's going to be very difficult to identify and study these MRN A molecule that we have. So one thing that we could do is introduce toxins and what these toxins are going to do is that they're going to stop the synthesis of more RN A or they're going to stop transcription by stopping transcription. They're going, we're going to be able to get a better look at the speed of pre MRN A splicing because there's going to be less MRN A molecules that we need to worry about So these pr toxins are able to regulate MRN a production or just the transcription process within a cell. Because of this, the correct answer choice to your question is going to be answer choice. C the introductions of certain toxins such as pr toxin, help us investigate the speed of pre MRN A splicing because it helps us regulate MRN a production and isolate or target Mrna. I really hope this video. Hope to you and I hope to see you on the next one.
Related Practice
Textbook Question

A small portion of the human transport protein amino acid sequence is shown here. The upper sequence is associated with darker skin, and the lower sequence is associated with lighter skin. What DNA base-pair change created the light-skin form of the human protein from the gene that coded for the dark-skin form?

438
views
Textbook Question

Researchers compared the amino acid sequences of the transport protein in zebrafish, puffer fish, mice, and humans. They found many stretches with identical sequences in all four species. Does this mean that the corresponding mRNA base sequences are also the same in these four species? Explain why or why not.

666
views
Textbook Question

If you wanted to use αα-amanitin to shut down 95 percent of transcription by RNA polymerase II, roughly what concentration of αα-amanitin would you use? Note that the scale on the x-axis of the graph in Question 13 is logarithmic rather than linear, so that each tick mark shows a tenfold higher concentration.

766
views
Textbook Question

The allele of the human transport protein associated with lighter skin is found almost exclusively in people with European ancestry. The other common allele for darker skin, which appears to be the ancestral allele, is found in people with African ancestry. What is a plausible explanation for how the lighter-skin allele came to be so common in those with European ancestry?

495
views
Textbook Question

The primary cause of death from αα-amanitin poisoning is liver failure. Suppose a physician informs you that liver cells die because their rate of protein production falls below a level needed to maintain active metabolism. Given that αα-amanitin is an inhibitor of transcription, you wonder if this information is correct. Propose an experiment to determine whether the toxin also has an effect on protein synthesis.

276
views