Different lengths of genes expressed

In summary, mutations can result in truncated proteins, but they may still have some functionality depending on the missing portion and its importance. Splicing alternatives in vertebrates can also lead to proteins of different lengths, which may have similar or distinct active sites. Enzymes can also further alter the protein after it is made, resulting in different final products.
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icakeov
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I was wondering whether it can ever happen that only a certain "length" of the same gene gets expressed in different species? Or perhaps even within the same species? (Without it being a random mutation)

Basically, can a part of a gene be expressed, and still have some functionality in the organism, rather than get scrapped as a mis-folded protein?
 
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(Not sure what you mean in the first part of the question.)

icakeov said:
can a part of a gene be expressed, and still have some functionality in the organism, rather than get scrapped as a mis-folded protein?
Yes that can happen.

Some mutations can result in a truncated protein by inserting a stop codon into the protein encoding sequence. This can cause a non-functional protein, but not always. Some can still have function. Depends how much of the protein is removed and how important the missing part was to its function.

In addition, there are often (in vertebrates) splicing alternatives where the mRNA can have some of this part or some of that part removed, leading to proteins of different lengths or have differences in different parts of the protein.
 
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Thanks BillTre! Totally what I was asking.
The two questions are essentially supposed to be the same, glad I reworded it in the second part.
Would these "similar" proteins that are built out of splices still have similar "active sites" that attract similar or same substrates?
 
  • #4
icakeov said:
Would these "similar" proteins that are built out of splices still have similar "active sites" that attract similar or same substrates?
It depends on the particular gene.
The mRNA can use one bit of sequence or another at different places to make the final protein.
The different parts can be quite similar or quite distinct.

Another added complexity occurs after the protein is made. Enzymes can come along and cut out specific parts of the protein to make one or more smaller parts that are the final products. Precursors for Proopiomelanocortin is a example of this, a precursor protein that is cut up into several hormone acting peptides .
 
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Great, thank you!
 

1. What does it mean for genes to have different lengths?

Genes are segments of DNA that contain the instructions for making proteins. The length of a gene refers to the number of base pairs (A, T, C, G) that make up the DNA sequence. Therefore, different lengths of genes mean that the DNA sequence and the resulting protein will vary in size.

2. How does the length of a gene affect its function?

The length of a gene can affect its function in several ways. Longer genes may code for larger proteins with more complex functions, while shorter genes may code for smaller proteins with simpler functions. Additionally, the length of a gene can also impact the regulation of gene expression and the efficiency of protein production.

3. What causes genes to have different lengths?

The length of a gene is determined by the sequence of nucleotides (A, T, C, G) in the DNA. Mutations, which can occur randomly or as a result of environmental factors, can alter the sequence of a gene and therefore change its length. Additionally, alternative splicing, a process where different combinations of exons are included in the final mRNA transcript, can also result in genes with different lengths.

4. Are there any patterns in the lengths of genes?

There is no specific pattern in the lengths of genes, as they can vary greatly. However, certain types of genes, such as housekeeping genes, tend to be longer due to their essential functions in the cell. On the other hand, genes that are involved in more specialized functions, such as those specific to certain cell types or conditions, may be shorter.

5. How do scientists study the expression of genes with different lengths?

Scientists can study the expression of genes with different lengths by using techniques such as RNA sequencing, which can provide information about the amount and types of RNA molecules present in a sample. Additionally, they can also use technologies such as microarrays or quantitative PCR to measure the expression levels of specific genes with different lengths.

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