Distinguish between the cis-acting regulatory elements referred to as promoters and enhancers.

Enhancers can influence the transcription of genes far away on the same chromosome. How are the effects of enhancers restricted so that they do not exert inappropriate transcriptional activation of non-target genes?

What is one proposed role for lncRNAs?

What are the sources of dsRNA? Diagram the mechanisms by which dsRNAs are produced and processed into small RNAs.

Competing endogenous RNAs act as molecular 'sponges.' What does this mean, and what do they compete with?

While circular RNAs were first described long ago, they have only recently been investigated for function. What are their known and suspected functions in the cell?

The UG4 gene is expressed in stem tissue and leaf tissue of the plant Arabidopsis thaliana. To study mechanisms regulating UG4 expression, six small deletions of the DNA sequence upstream of the gene-coding sequence are made. The locations of deletions and their effect on UG4 expression are shown here. Explain the differential effects of deletions B and F on expression in the two tissues.

The UG4 gene is expressed in stem tissue and leaf tissue of the plant Arabidopsis thaliana. To study mechanisms regulating UG4 expression, six small deletions of DNA sequence upstream of the gene-coding sequence are made. The locations of deletions and their effect on UG4 expression are shown here. Why does deletion E lower expression of UG4 in leaf tissue but not in stem tissue?