Gene Regulation, DNA and RNA Structure and Sequencing

Abstract

During the growth and development of an organism, gene regulation plays an essential role in the expression and regulation of genes in a spatiotemporal manner. This can be regulated either at the transcriptional level or at the translational level via transcriptional and translational machinery, respectively. In addition, post-translational modifications along with regulatory noncoding RNAs can also control gene expression through a variety of factors and regulators. A gene is a sequence of nucleotides in the DNA that conveys information from cell to cell and from generation to generation. The DNA molecules are transcribed primarily into RNA molecules (mRNA, tRNA, and rRNA), and the mRNA carries information stored in the DNA by translating it into functional proteins. To better understand such mechanisms, new bioinformatic tools, algorithms, and databases have been developed and used on a cloud computing platform. High-throughput sequencing technologies (DNA, RNA, protein, etc.) have evolved the bioinformatic tools for studying gene expression and regulation in almost all organisms, including bacteria, plants, and animals. This has significantly improved the routine practice of drug discovery, medicine, science, and technology. This chapter introduces gene regulation, DNA and RNA biology, the algorithms, and bioinformatic tools involved in these processes, and the latest breakthroughs in bioinformatics and sequencing. © 2023 CRC Press.