Imagine that you are studying the control of fi- globin gene expression in immature red blood cells mature red blood cells contain fi- globin protein, but lack a nucleus and, therefore, the fi- globin gene). If you deleted a sequence of DNA outside the protein- coding region of the fi- globin gene and found that this increased the rate of transcription, the deleted sequence likely functions as an)
A) enhancer.
B) promoter.
C) silencer.
D) promoter- proximal element.
E) any of the above.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Silencers are DNA sequences that, when present, can repress the transcription of a gene. Deleting a silencer would remove this repression, leading to an increase in the rate of transcription of the gene. Enhancers and promoter-proximal elements generally enhance gene expression, and promoters are necessary for transcription initiation; their deletion would typically decrease or abolish transcription, not increase it.

Imagine That You Are Studying the Control of Fi- Globin