IS IT NATURE OR NURTURE? Regulation of Gene Expression

These flashcards cover key vocabulary concepts related to gene expression and regulation, emphasizing important definitions and processes relevant to the lecture.

Gene Expression

The process by which a gene is actively transcribed into mRNA and translated into protein.

Transcription Factors

Proteins that bind to promoters to regulate gene expression, can act as activators or repressors.

Promoter

A DNA sequence in the regulatory region of a gene where RNA polymerase and transcription factors bind to initiate transcription.

Exons

Coding regions of a gene that are transcribed and translated into protein.

Introns

Non-coding regions of a gene that are transcribed but removed during RNA processing.

Gene Regulation

The processes that control when, where, and how much a gene is expressed, impacting protein synthesis.

Housekeeping Genes

Genes that are continually expressed in all cells as they produce proteins needed for basic cellular functions.

Epigenetics

Heritable changes in gene expression that do not involve alterations to the underlying DNA sequence, often influenced by environmental factors.

RNA Splicing

The process of removing introns and joining exons in the primary RNA transcript to form mature mRNA.

Methylation

An epigenetic modification where methyl groups are added to DNA, often affecting gene expression by making promoters inaccessible.

Poly-A Tail

A sequence of adenine nucleotides added to the 3' end of mRNA that helps protect the RNA and facilitate its export from the nucleus.

RNA Polymerase

An enzyme responsible for synthesizing RNA from a DNA template during transcription.

Differential Gene Expression

The activation or suppression of specific genes in different types of cells, leading to their unique functions and characteristics.

Regulatory Regions

Parts of a gene that control the expression of the gene; includes promoters and enhancers.

Template Strand

The strand of DNA used as a guide for synthesizing RNA during transcription.

Coding Strand

The DNA strand that has the same sequence as the mRNA (except for thymine being replaced by uracil),

Final mRNA

The processed and spliced form of mRNA that is ready for translation after the introns have been removed.