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AP Biology

Unit 6 Gene expression and regulation

QuestionAnswer
Gene Expression The production of a functional gene product, such as a protein; the “turning on” of a gene.
Transcription The synthesis of RNA from a DNA template.
Translation The synthesis of a polypeptide chain corresponding to the coding sequence present in a molecule of messenger RNA.
Gene Regulation The various ways in which cells control gene expression.
Plasmid In bacteria, a small circular molecule of DNA carrying a small number of genes that replicates independently of the DNA in the bacterium’s circular chromosome.
Replication Fork The site where the parental DNA strands separate as the DNA duplex unwinds.
Semiconservative Replication The mechanism of DNA replication in which each strand of a parental DNA molecule serves as a template for the synthesis of a new daughter strand.
Helicase An enzyme that separates the two DNA strands at the replication fork so that each strand can be copied during DNA replication.
Topoisomerase An enzyme that relieves stress on the DNA double helix that results from over winding or underwinding during DNA replication and transcription.
DNA Polymerase An enzyme that is a critical component of a large protein complex that carries out DNA replication.
Primer A short strand of DNA or RNA; in DNA replication, RNA is used as a primer for DNA synthesis.
Leading Strand A daughter strand that has its end pointed toward the replication fork, so as the parental double helix unwinds, this daughter strand can be synthesized as one long, continuous polymer.
Lagging Strand A daughter strand that has its end pointed toward the replication fork, so as the parental double helix unwinds, a new DNA piece is initiated at intervals, and each new piece is elongated at its end until it reaches the piece in front of it.
DNA Ligase An enzyme that joins two DNA fragments together.
Proofreading The process in which a DNA polymerase can immediately correct its own errors by excising and replacing a mismatched base.
Template Strand The strand of DNA that is used as a template, or model, for RNA synthesis during transcription. The template strand is also called the noncoding, antisense, and minus strand.
RNA Polymerase The enzyme that synthesizes an RNA transcript from a DNA template.
Nontemplate Strand The strand of DNA that is not used as a template, or model, for RNA synthesis during transcription. The nontemplate strand is the reverse complement of the template strand. The nontemplate strand is also called the coding, sense, and plus strand.
Promoter A regulatory region where RNA polymerase and associated proteins bind to the DNA molecule in the process of transcription.
Primary Transcript The initial RNA molecule that comes off the template DNA strand.
Messenger RNA (mRNA) The RNA molecule that combines with a ribosome to direct protein synthesis; it carries the genetic “message” from the DNA to the ribosome.
RNA processing A chemical modification that converts the primary transcript into mature mRNA, enabling the RNA molecule to be transported to the cytoplasm and recognized by the translational machinery.
GTP cap The modification of the end of the primary transcript by the addition of a special nucleotide attached in an unusual chemical linkage; also called a cap.
Poly(A) tail The adenine (A) nucleotides added to the end of the primary transcript.
Exon A sequence that is left intact in mRNA after RNA splicing, and is therefore expressed in the protein.
Intron An intervening sequence that is removed from the primary transcript during RNA splicing.
RNA splicing The process of joining exons and removing introns from the primary transcript.
Alternative splicing The process by which exons are joined together and introns are removed during RNA processing. A single gene can be spliced in different ways to yield different mRNAs and different protein products.
Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) Noncoding RNA found in all ribosomes that aid in translation.
Transfer RNA (tRNA) Noncoding RNA that carries individual amino acids for use in translation.
Codon A group of three adjacent nucleotides in mRNA that specifies an amino acid in a protein or that terminates protein synthesis.
Anticodon The sequence of three nucleotides in a tRNA molecule that base pairs with the corresponding codon in an mRNA molecule.
Genetic Code The correspondence between codons and amino acids, in which 20 amino acids are specified by 64 codons.
Translation initiation The process by which translation begins. During initiation, the initiator AUG codon is recognized, and Met is established as the first amino acid in the new polypeptide chain.
Translation Elongation The process by which successive amino acids are added one by one to a growing polypeptide chain during translation.
Translation Termination The process by which the addition of amino acids stops during translation and the completed polypeptide chain is released from the ribosome.
Operon A group of functionally related genes located in tandem along DNA and transcribed as a single unit from one promoter in prokaryotes.
Positive regulatory molecule A molecule, such as an activator, that binds to DNA at a site near a gene so that transcription can take place.
Negative regulatory molecule A molecule, such as a repressor, that binds to the DNA at a site near the gene to prevent transcription.
Transcription factor A protein that binds to the promoter of a gene and is necessary for transcription to take place.
Epigenetic Describes effects on gene expression due to differences in DNA packaging and chromosome organization, such as modifications in histones or chromatin structure.
Transposition The process by which a DNA sequence moves from one location to another in a DNA molecule.
Polyploidy The condition of having more than two complete sets of chromosomes in the genome.
Triploidy The condition of having three complete sets of chromosomes in the genome.
Mutagen An agent that increases the probability of mutation.
Horizontal gene transfer The transfer of genetic material between organisms that are not parent and offspring.
Conjugation The direct cell-to-cell transfer of DNA, usually a plasmid; a form of horizontal gene transfer.
Transformation The conversion of cells from one state to another when DNA released to the environment by cell breakdown is taken up by recipient cells. In recombinant DNA technology, the introduction of recombinant DNA into a recipient cell.
Transduction The transfer of DNA from cell to cell by means of a virus; a form of horizontal gene transfer.
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) A selective and highly sensitive method for making copies of a piece of DNA, which allows a targeted region of a DNA molecule to be replicated into as many copies as desired.
Gel Electrophoresis A technique that is used to separate DNA and RNA based on size, and proteins based on size and charge, using an electric current passed through a jelly-like substance.
Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) An organism that has been genetically engineered, such as modified viruses and bacteria, laboratory organisms, agricultural crops, and domestic animals; also called a transgenic organism.
DNA Editing Techniques used to “rewrite” a nucleotide sequence so that specific mutations can be introduced into genes to better understand their function, or to correct mutant versions of genes to restore normal function.
Virus A small infectious agent that contains a nucleic acid genome packaged inside a protein coat called a capsid; some viruses also have a phospholipid envelope.
Reverse Transcriptase An RNA-dependent DNA polymerase that uses a single-stranded RNA as a template to synthesize a DNA strand that is complementary in sequence to the RNA.
Emerging Disease An infectious disease that has appeared recently and/or spread rapidly.
Created by: DrStokes
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