Transcription and Translation Lecture Notes

This set of flashcards covers important vocabulary terms and definitions related to the processes of transcription and translation in protein synthesis.

Transcription

The process of making a RNA copy from a gene on a DNA molecule.

Translation

The process by which the message on the RNA is read by the ribosome to make a specific amino acid chain.

mRNA (messenger RNA)

RNA that codes for proteins.

rRNA (ribosomal RNA)

RNA that forms the core of the ribosomes, machinery for making proteins.

tRNA (transfer RNA)

RNA that carries the amino acid for the growing protein chain.

Central Dogma

The flow of genetic information from DNA to RNA to Protein.

Polyadenylation

The addition of a poly(A) tail to mRNA for stability and export.

RNA Splicing

The process of removing non-coding regions (introns) and joining coding regions (exons) in pre-mRNA.

Codon

A sequence of three nucleotides in mRNA that correspond to a specific amino acid.

Degenerate Code

The genetic code in which multiple codons can code for the same amino acid.

Wobble Base Pairing

The concept that the third position of a codon can vary without affecting the amino acid it codes for.

Chaperonins (Chaperones)

Proteins that assist in the proper folding of other proteins.

Proteolysis

The breakdown of proteins into smaller peptides or amino acids.

Epigenetics

Heritable changes in gene expression that do not involve changes to the DNA sequence.

Histone Acetylation

The addition of acetyl groups to histones, leading to a more relaxed chromatin structure and increased gene expression.

DNA Methylation

The addition of methyl groups to DNA, which can repress gene transcription.

Initiation of Transcription

The process by which RNA polymerase binds to the DNA at the promoter region to start transcription.

Termination Sequence

The specific sequence in DNA that signals the end of transcription.

Polyribosomes

Clusters of ribosomes that translate the same mRNA strand simultaneously.

RNA Polymerase

The enzyme responsible for synthesizing RNA from the DNA template.