The Daily Transcript reports on a new study that indicates Eukaryotic transcription may occurs in bursts. Transcription factors (regulators of when a gene is "on" or "off") are often characterized as 'activators' or repressors. The paper suggests activators may instead be stabilizers. Genes are always flipping back and forth between different levels of on and off states and when transcription factors bind they can hold one state steady. When upregulation happens a gene isn't 'turned on', it is just kept on.
This paper seems to indicate that cells (at least eukaryotic cells) have varied systems to regulate transcription. Even within prokaryotic cells, the initial 'jiggly' association of RNA polymerase and the promoter seems to be stabilized by Transcription factors. Once RNAP is associated with DNA, it was very stable. Could stabilizers be 'uncoupling' the initial weak RNAP-DNA binding? Could this be related to the phenomenon of abortive transcription seen in vitro?
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Osman Sagar and its predatory denizens
Decided to go for a jog/run this sunday evening, to Osman Sagar and back.
Miscalculated. There's far too much traffic on that road on weekends to jog, so I walked most of the way. I sorta expected that, but I was NOT prepared for the wierdness. People stare. It's a common enough habit in South India, so I'm used to that. But guys driving by, going " Wooo Hoooo!" was new to me. I even got a "Kya baat hai!".
Huh.
Osman Sagar's pretty in the evenings. From the Tank Bund, the sun sets over the surprisingly blue water, as you can see here ... it's the blue one on the left. (The colour in the satellite photo is probably an artifact of the angle at which it was taken, though.)
This picture was taken on another occasion.
There are signs warning about crocodiles in the water, and I'm rather psyched about seeing one. Fingers crossed.
The views are amazing. In the evening you can see the lights of Hightech city in the distance, and even ISB, home of the Elastic Retreat.
I hope the jog/run materialises into a regular thing.
Miscalculated. There's far too much traffic on that road on weekends to jog, so I walked most of the way. I sorta expected that, but I was NOT prepared for the wierdness. People stare. It's a common enough habit in South India, so I'm used to that. But guys driving by, going " Wooo Hoooo!" was new to me. I even got a "Kya baat hai!".
Huh.
Osman Sagar's pretty in the evenings. From the Tank Bund, the sun sets over the surprisingly blue water, as you can see here ... it's the blue one on the left. (The colour in the satellite photo is probably an artifact of the angle at which it was taken, though.)
This picture was taken on another occasion.
There are signs warning about crocodiles in the water, and I'm rather psyched about seeing one. Fingers crossed.
The views are amazing. In the evening you can see the lights of Hightech city in the distance, and even ISB, home of the Elastic Retreat.
I hope the jog/run materialises into a regular thing.
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