Lecture 2 - Molecules and Cells

RNA

Ribonucleic acid, a molecule that plays crucial roles in coding, decoding, regulation, and expression of genes.

mRNA

Messenger RNA, a type of RNA that conveys genetic information from DNA to the ribosome, where proteins are synthesized.

tRNA

Transfer RNA, a type of RNA that helps decode mRNA sequences into proteins by bringing amino acids to the ribosome.

rRNA

Ribosomal RNA, a type of RNA that, together with proteins, makes up the ribosomes, the sites of protein synthesis.

Transcription

The process of synthesizing RNA from a DNA template.

Promoter

A specific region of DNA that initiates transcription of a particular gene.

Transcription Factors

Proteins that help regulate the transcription of genes by assisting the binding of RNA polymerase to DNA.

Polymerase

Enzymes that catalyze the formation of RNA from a DNA template during transcription.

Initiation

The beginning stage of transcription where RNA polymerase binds to a promoter region.

Elongation

The stage of transcription where the RNA strand is lengthened by the addition of nucleotides.

Termination

The process that marks the end of transcription when RNA polymerase detaches from the DNA template.

Splicing

The process of removing introns and connecting exons in pre-mRNA to form mature mRNA.

cDNA

Complementary DNA synthesized from an mRNA template, often used in cloning and gene expression studies.

Post-translational modification

Chemical modifications made to a protein after its translation from mRNA, affecting protein function.

Nucleoid

The irregularly shaped region within a prokaryotic cell that contains the genetic material.

Transcriptome

The entire set of RNA molecules, including mRNA, rRNA, tRNA, and non-coding RNA, expressed in a cell at a given time.

Amino acid

Organic compounds that combine to form proteins; there are 20 standard amino acids used in protein synthesis.

Peptide bond

The chemical bond that links amino acids together in proteins.

Hydrophobic amino acids

Amino acids that do not interact well with water, playing a key role in protein folding.

Transcription regulation

The process by which a cell regulates the conversion of DNA to RNA, thus controlling gene expression.

Hairpin loop

A secondary structure formed in RNA when a sequence of nucleotides curls back on itself and pairs with complementary bases.