Gene Regulation and Epigenetics · USMLE Step 1

Which non–DNA-altering mechanism can regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally in epigenetic control?

  1. Insertion of a transposon within the coding region of the gene
  2. MicroRNA-mediated mRNA degradation or translational inhibition
  3. Point mutation introduced into the promoter region
  4. Deletion of one or more exons from the transcript
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Correct answer: MicroRNA-mediated mRNA degradation or translational inhibition

Non-coding RNAs such as microRNAs are part of epigenetic regulation; they bind to mRNAs and cause degradation or block translation, modulating gene expression without altering the DNA sequence.

Difficulty: Medium Question 6 of 20

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