True or False Question: Genes are always being transcribed.

Question



Answer 1

True

Cells are always functioning, and their functions are carried out by proteins. But like all molecules, proteins will break down and must be replaced. The process of producing proteins involves gene transcription. Therefore, gene transcription is constantly occurring.

Now, in support of my colleagues above, not every gene in a cell is constantly being transcribed. In fact, many genes in a cell may never be transcribed! It all depends on the function of the cell. For example, most human cells do not produce insulin, so they don't need to produce the enzymes needed for the production of insulin. They still have the genes for those enzymes, but they are never transcribed. Also, during mitosis, no genes are being transcribed, but genes in other cells are.

I guess it all depends on how you interpret the question.

Answer 2

False.

Not always! While some "housekeeping" genes are constantly transcribed to ensure our body functions as it should on a regular basis, but many genes are dependent on certain conditions the body has to meet to have them expressed. Transcription factors, environmental stimuli, and chemical signals within the body are some of the few ways our bodies know when to either begin transcription of a gene or when to end it.

Answer 3

False.

Genes are not always being transcribed. Gene expression is tightly regulated, meaning that transcription occurs only when needed. Various factors, such as transcription factors, repressors, epigenetic modifications, and environmental signals, control whether a gene is actively transcribed into mRNA. Some genes, like housekeeping genes, are transcribed continuously because they are essential for basic cellular functions, but most genes are only transcribed in response to specific signals or conditions.