Module 3 Vocab

gene expression

process by which information in DNA is transcribed into RNA and often translated into protein

central dogma

the flow of genetic info from DNA to RNA to protein

transcription

process of synthesizing RNA from a DNA template

DNA

template for transcription

RNA

nucleic acid present in all living cells that has structural similarities to DNA

template strand

“old” strand used during replication and gene expression

coding strand

nontemplate strand that uses U instead of T

RNA polymerase

enzyme used to copy DNA sequence into RNA, binds to promoter region, reads 3’ to 5’ and synthesizes RNA 5’ to 3’

promoter

upstream regulatory DNA region where RNA polymerase and transcription factors bind

TATA box

conserved DNA sequence found in the promoter region of many genes that helps recruit RNA polymerase to initiate transcription

consensus sequence

tells us what an important (conserved) sequence typically looks like. “average” or idealized sequence derived from comparing many similar functional sites

upstream

refers to a DNA sequence located before (towards 5’ direction) a reference point, such as start of a gene or transcription start site

downstream

refers to the direction of transcription (toward the 3’ end of coding strand)

transcription start site

the specific nucleotide position on a DNA template strand where RNA polymerase begins synthesizing RNA by copying the first DNA nucleotid

terminating sequence

signals RNA polymerase to stop transcription

gene

physical unit of heredity, made of dna, actual nucleotide that will produce product, the sequence that is transcribed

protein-coding gene

are transcribed to produce mRNA encoding a protein

RNA genes

are transcribed to produce a functional RNA

mRNA

informational RNAm messenger RNA

tRNA

functional RNA molecules that serve as adapters in translation

rRNA

functional RNA molecules that are components of the ribosome

cis-acting element

trans-acting factor

transcription factor

enhancer

silencer

activator

repressor

TATA-binding protein

RNA Pol I

enzyme that destabilizes transcription

RNA Pol III

transcription terminating factor binds to a consensus sequence that stops transcription

RNA Pol II

enzyme that helps termination of mRNA transcription

true

true or false

5’ cap is important for:

prevention of degradation of the mRNA

transport across nuclear envelope

facilitate intron splicing

orienting the mRNA for translation

introns

extrons or introns

_____ are spliced out during transcription

alternative splicing

same gene, different proteins