Question

Your roommate has gone a little mad scientist in genetics lab; he/she wants to insert a typical E. coli gene into a human cell. He/she has managed to isolate the gene (with its promoter and terminator regions) and insert it into a human chromosome. Discuss reasons why you would likely see none (or low levels) of the desired protein produced by the human cell, and how/why each listed reason would cause a lack of expression.

Answer 1

The reason for the lack of expression might be as follows:

• The difference in the presence of promoter in case of prokaryotes and eukaryotes might result in the gene expression. The RNA polymerase present in prokaryotes cannot recognise the sequence of the eukaryotes.

• The lack of kozak sequence also lacks in the result of the gene expression.

• The difference in the transcription factors in prokaryotes and eukaryotes results in lack of gene expression.

• The termination process is also different in prokaryotes and eukaryotes.