Bio lec 11

Rainbow Darter (Etheostoma caeruleum)

A small, colorful fish found in clean, fast-moving streams that measures about 2-3 inches long and is an insectivore.

Insectivores

Organisms that primarily eat insects and other aquatic invertebrates.

Gene Regulation

The process by which a cell turns on or off different genes, controlling gene expression.

Operon

A functioning unit of genomic DNA containing a cluster of genes under the control of a single regulatory signal; bacteria can regulate these gene clusters simultaneously.

Lac Operon

A set of genes in E. coli that are involved in lactose metabolism and are regulated as a unit.

Transcription

The process by which the DNA sequence of a gene is copied into mRNA.

RNA Processing

The modification of mRNA before it is translated, including the removal of introns and splicing together exons.

miRNAs (microRNAs)

Small non-coding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression by binding to target mRNAs, potentially leading to their degradation or blocking of translation.

Cell Signaling

The process by which cells communicate with each other through chemical signals.

Homeotic Genes

Master control genes that regulate the expression of other genes, crucial for determining the body structure during embryonic development.

Cloning

The process of creating genetically identical copies of cells, organisms, or DNA molecules.

Reproductive Cloning

A type of cloning that involves creating an embryo from a somatic cell and implanting it into a female for growth.

Therapeutic Cloning

Aimed at generating embryonic stem cells for potential treatments of diseases or injuries.

Oncogenes

Genes that have the potential to cause cancer when mutated or misregulated.

Tumor-suppressor genes

Genes that normally inhibit cell division; mutations in these genes can lead to cancer.

Carcinogens

Substances that cause DNA mutations leading to cancer, such as UV radiation and tobacco smoke.