Gene Expression and Recombinant DNA Techniques

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering essential terms and concepts in gene expression and recombinant DNA technology.

Inducer

A molecule that regulates gene expression by initiating transcription, such as allolactose in the lac operon.

Lac operon

A genetic system that is governed by both negative and positive regulation to control lactose metabolism in bacteria.

cAMP (cyclic AMP)

A signaling molecule that activates the cAMP receptor protein (CRP) under low glucose conditions, promoting lac operon transcription.

Alternative splicing

A process by which different combinations of exons are joined together to produce multiple proteins from a single gene.

RNA interference (RNAi)

A biological process in which RNA molecules inhibit gene expression or translation by degrading mRNA or blocking its translation.

Restriction endonucleases

Enzymes that cut DNA at specific sequences, used in molecular biology for cloning and DNA manipulation.

Plasmid

A small, circular piece of DNA that can replicate independently within a bacterial cell, often used as a vector in genetic engineering.

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)

A method used to amplify specific DNA sequences, allowing for millions of copies to be generated in a short time.

Reverse transcriptase

An enzyme that synthesizes complementary DNA (cDNA) from an RNA template, crucial for creating DNA from mRNA.

Next-generation sequencing

A modern DNA sequencing technology that allows for the rapid and cost-effective sequencing of entire genomes simultaneously.

Sanger sequencing

A method of DNA sequencing based on the selective incorporation of chain-terminating dideoxynucleotides by DNA polymerase.

Cleavage and polyadenylation

The process by which the primary RNA transcript is cut and a poly(A) tail is added, resulting in mature mRNA.

Gene expression

The process by which the information encoded in a gene is translated into a functional gene product, usually proteins.