Gene Regulation

What is gene regulation?

Gene regulation refers to the processes that cells use to increase or decrease the production of specific gene products (typically proteins).

Why is gene regulation important?

Gene regulation is crucial for cell differentiation, development, and responding to environmental stimuli.

What are transcription factors?

Transcription factors are proteins that bind to specific DNA sequences to regulate the transcription of genes.

What is an operon?

An operon is a functioning unit of genomic DNA containing a cluster of genes under the control of a single promoter.

What role does RNA polymerase play in gene regulation?

RNA polymerase is the enzyme responsible for synthesizing RNA from the DNA template during transcription.

What is epigenetic regulation?

Epigenetic regulation refers to heritable changes that affect gene activity without altering the DNA sequence itself.

How do enhancers affect gene expression?

Enhancers are regulatory DNA sequences that can increase the likelihood of transcription of particular genes, often from a distance.

What is the role of silencers in gene regulation?

Silencers are DNA elements that can repress gene transcription when bound by regulatory proteins.

What is alternative splicing?

Alternative splicing is a process that allows a single gene to produce multiple proteins by including or excluding certain sequences from the mRNA.

How do hormones influence gene regulation?

Hormones can act as signaling molecules that bind to receptors and influence gene expression through various signaling pathways.