Genetics Quiz

Promoter region

The binding site for the lac repressor in E. coli.

Introns

Non-coding regions in a gene that are not included in the final mRNA that is translated.

Rosalind Franklin

Scientist known for her work on DNA x-ray diffraction, but was not awarded a Nobel Prize.

Nitrogenous bases

The sequence in DNA that determines the order of amino acids in proteins.

tRNA

Transport RNA required for protein synthesis but not for transcription.

Epigenetic modification

A change in gene expression caused by mechanisms other than changes in the DNA sequence, such as methylation.

Metaphase

The stage in mitosis where chromosomes align in the middle of the cell.

Frameshift mutation

A mutation caused by the insertion or deletion of nucleotides, altering the reading frame of the genetic message.

Lac operon

A set of genes related to lactose metabolism that is turned on in the presence of lactose.

microRNA (miRNA)

Small RNA molecules that bind to mRNA to regulate gene expression.

Transcription factors

Proteins that bind to specific DNA sequences to regulate transcription initiation.

Ribosomes

Cellular structures composed of RNA and protein responsible for protein synthesis.

Hydrogen bonds

The forces holding the two strands of the DNA double helix together.

Zygote

The fertilized egg with a diploid chromosome number, one set from each parent.

Transcription

The process of synthesizing RNA from a DNA template.

RNA polymerase

The enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis of RNA from a DNA template during transcription.

Eukaryotes

Organisms whose cells have a nucleus enclosed within membranes.

Three-nucleotide sequences

The 'words' of the genetic code that specify amino acids.

Central Dogma

The process in molecular biology that describes the flow of genetic information from DNA to RNA to protein.

siRNAs (small interfering RNAs)

Short RNA molecules that regulate gene expression by turning off specific genes.

Codons

Three-nucleotide sequences in mRNA that encode for individual amino acids.

Hox genes

Genes that control the body plan of an embryo along the head-tail axis, known for their evolutionary conservation across species.

Lac operon (Escherichia coli)

Regulates lactose-utilizing enzymes; expressed when lactose is present.

RNA interference (RNAi)

A biological process in which RNA molecules inhibit gene expression or translation.