Key Terms transcription_mrna_processing

General Transfers

The Central Dogma of Molecular Biology

RNA Polymerase

An enzyme that synthesizes RNA from a DNA template during transcription, no primer needed

Promotor

Region of DNA that the RNA polymerase recognizes, contains a region in which the RNA polymerase binds: the recognition sequence

Template Stand

Only one strand is needed, genes on both strands of the genome could be either strand, depending on which gene is being transcribed

Ribonuclease

Proteins that act to destroy single-stranded RNA

Secondary Structure

Two folded symmetry in the sequences that cases mRNA to form a hairpin loop by base-pairing with itself, physically pulls the RNA away from the DNA ending transcription

Termination factor / RHO factor

Proteins that end transcription in eukaryotes binds to the 5’ mRNA

5’ cap

Added to the 5’ end of the pre-mRNA as it is transcribed (modified GTP), facilitates transport out of the nucleus, protects against degradation by RNases, and helps mRNA attach to a ribosome once it reaches the cytoplasm

Poly-A tail

What is attached to the pre-mRNA consists of 100-300 adenine nucleotides, assists mRNA in the cytoplasm

Intron

A non-coding nucleotide sequence, within a eukaryotic gene that is transcribed into pre-MRNA but removed during RNA processing

Exons

Segments of eukaryotic DNA or RNA that remain in the final, mature RNA after the introns are removed

Splicing

When introns are removed from pre-mRNA

snRNP

What initiates the process by binding to the splicing sites, cut the mRNA at these sites and mediate binding on the ends of exons together

Protein Family

When some exons are spliced out resulting in different mRNAs from the same gene, this is what generates it from a single gene