June 19, 2010 Gene expression takes place in two stages: the
transcription of DNA to RNA by an enzyme called RNA polymerase,
, followed by the translation of this RNA into proteins, whose
behaviour affects the characteristics of each individual.
Transcription: a mechanism controlled in time and space
Transcription involves about fifty regulatory molecules that
interact with each other to begin reading the gene at the right
place and the right time. The slightest irregularity of one of
these molecules disturbs the transcription. An understanding of
the initiation and regulation mechanisms is essential in order
to understand gene expression. The structural biology
researchers at IGBMC are studying molecular structures to gain a
better understanding of how they function. Patrick Schultz's
team is particularly focusing on the architecture of the
molecules involved in transcription and attempting to decode the
mechanisms of their interactions. An 'image-by-image' analysis
An analysis of the transcription complexes