Transcription and Genetic Code

These flashcards cover essential vocabulary pertaining to transcription and the genetic code.

RNA polymerase

An enzyme responsible for synthesizing RNA from a DNA template during transcription.

Central Dogma of Molecular Biology

The process by which the information in genes flows into proteins: DNA -> RNA -> Protein.

Template strand

The DNA strand that serves as a template for RNA synthesis.

Coding strand

The DNA strand whose sequence corresponds to the mRNA sequence produced during transcription.

Promoter

A DNA sequence that indicates the starting point for transcription.

Terminator

A DNA sequence that signals the end of transcription.

Transcription factors

Proteins that help RNA polymerase recognize and bind to the promoter.

Splicing

The process of removing introns from mRNA transcripts and joining exons together.

Intron

A non-coding segment of a gene that is removed during RNA processing.

Exon

A coding segment of a gene that remains in the mature mRNA after splicing.

5' cap

A modified guanine nucleotide that is added to the 5' end of eukaryotic mRNA to protect it and facilitate translation.

Polyadenylation

The addition of a poly-A tail to the 3' end of mRNA, which aids in transport and stability.

Alternative splicing

The process through which different combinations of exons are joined together to produce multiple protein variants from a single gene.

Rho factor

A protein that helps terminate transcription in some prokaryotes by binding to the RNA transcript.

Sigma factor

A protein that helps bacterial RNA polymerases identify and bind to specific promoters in DNA.

Primary transcript

The initial RNA transcript that is produced during transcription before processing.

NTPs

Nucleotide triphosphates, the building blocks for RNA synthesis during transcription.

mRNA

Messenger RNA, the type of RNA that conveys genetic information from DNA to the ribosome for protein synthesis.

Hairpin loop

A secondary structure formed when complementary sequences within an RNA strand base-pair, often involved in transcription termination.

Chaperone proteins

Proteins that assist in the proper folding and modification of newly synthesized proteins.