Transcription and Translation ~ AP Bio Vocab 12

Fahhh its a long one

Transcription

process in which a specific segment of DNA is copied into a complementary RNA strand (usually mRNA) by the enzyme RNA Polymerase

mRNA

type of RNA that has the info needed to build proteins

RNA Polymerase

enzyme that catalyzes transcription, synthesizing RNA from a DNA template

promoter

sequence of nucleotides that “attracts” RNA Polymerase, crucial starting point for gene expression

terminator

sequence of nucleotides that signals the end of a gene, instructing RNA polymerase to stop transcription and release the new RNA molecule

transcription factors

helper proteins that are required for RNA polymerase to bind to the DNA

transcription initiation complex

assembly of RNA polymerase and transcription factors

TATA Box

vital DNA sequence (TATAAA) in a gene’s promoter region acting as a landing site for proteins (transcription factors) to recruit RNA polymerase and start gene transcription

RNA processing

post-transcriptional modification of pre-mRNA to mature mRNA in eukaryotic nuclei, ensuring the molecule is stable and functional for translation

intron

intervening sequence, long noncoding stretches of nucleotides that lie in between coding regions

exon

expressed sequence, regions in pre-mRNA that are used to make proteins

alternate RNA splicing

a gene regulation process in eukaryotes where a single pre-mRNA is spliced in multiple ways to produce different mature mRNA variants, allowing one gene to code for multiple proteins

genotype

the genetic constitution of an individual organism

phenotype

a set of observable characteristics of an individual resulting from the interaction of its genotype with the environment

Translation

the process by which a cell builds proteins using genetic information carried in mRNA

tRNA

type of RNA that helps bring amino acids to the ribosome

anticodon

a sequence of 3 nucleotides forming a unit of genetic code in a tRNA, corresponding to a complementary codon in mRNA

ribosome

an organelle consisting of RNA and associated proteins found in large numbers in the cytoplasm. they bind mRNA and tRNA to synthesize polypeptides and proteins

codon

3 nucleotides that specify an amino acid

rRNA

type of RNA that helps assemble the ribosome

point mutation

a change in one or a few nucleotides → may not impact function → 3 types: substitution, insertion, deletion

frameshift mutations

every amino acid from the mutation on is altered → will change protein function → insertion or deletion