up-regulation of a gene - how long does it take for mRNA - are there general rules or time intervals known (Jan/20/2006 )

Usually how long does it take for mRNA for a gene to be up-regulated in response to s stimulus?
How would that expected time vary if the studied gene happens to ba a membrane receptor like a G-protein coupled receptor

I am doing some stimulus studies to check the up-regulation of mRNA. How long should I treat cells with certain agents that might up-regulate it. Is there a maximum or mimimum time anyone could tell me

thanks

The treatment and response time frames will vary considerably depending on the gene of interest and the treatment type. Some genes can be upregulated within a very short time frame following treatment (minutes-hours) and some genes will be effected much later (days). This is dependent upon your gene either being an immediate-early responder or a late resonder (i.e. one where regulation is controlled by the immediate-early genes). Trying the experiment is the only way to find out.

An half hour can be enough (only tried in fast growing E.coli).

An hour should be enough.

What is the limiting factor in what you are attempting to do?

-Matt

The half life of an mRNA can be very short minutes to very long several days in humans...i assume you are studying eukaryotes so I would try a time course experiment to assess this.

try 2 hours, 8 hours, 16 hours, 48 hours just in case the average is around several hours for mRNA half life if i remember correctly. the gene i study is 16 hours...MTP is 48 hours