Pia Kjølhede Andersen: Communication between ends of genes is significant for their activity

News-itemThe human genome contains thousands of genes that give rise to proteins when they are expressed correctly. Each gene is specific for a particular type of protein, and the amount of protein depends on how often the gene is read – in other words, how active the gene is. But what actually determines the activity of a gene? In her dissertation completed at the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Pia Andersen demonstrated that the placement of the genetic ‘stop signals’ (called terminators) in relation to their ‘start signals’ (called promoters) has great importance for their activity. If the terminator is placed too close to the promoter, the gene’s activity is decreased. There is therefore close communication between the two ends of the gene, and this study also demonstrates that small genes are disadvantaged. It therefore comes as no surprise that small genes often have alternative terminators, and this presumably makes them capable of avoiding the decrease described.