Central Dogma: Transcription & Translation

A set of flashcards covering key concepts and vocabulary related to the central dogma of molecular biology, specifically focusing on the processes of transcription and translation.

Genotype

The genetic constitution of an individual organism.

Phenotype

The set of observable characteristics of an individual resulting from the interaction of its genotype with the environment.

Extracellular Environment

The environment outside the cell that can affect cellular processes.

Operon

A functional unit of DNA containing a cluster of genes under the control of a single promoter.

Monocistronic

An mRNA molecule that codes for only one protein.

Polycistronic

An mRNA molecule that contains multiple coding sequences for different proteins.

Regulon

A collection of operons and genes with a unified biochemical purpose, controlled by a regulatory protein.

Promoter

A region of DNA where RNA polymerase binds to initiate transcription.

Transcription

The process of synthesizing RNA from a DNA template.

Translation

The process of synthesizing proteins from mRNA.

Sigma Factor

A protein that aids RNA polymerase in identifying and binding to the promoter region.

Codon

A sequence of three nucleotides on mRNA that corresponds to a specific amino acid.

Anticodon

A sequence of three nucleotides on tRNA that pairs with a corresponding codon on mRNA.

Intron

A non-coding segment of RNA that is removed during RNA processing.

Exon

A coding segment of RNA that is retained during RNA processing.

Alternative Splicing

The process by which different exons are joined or skipped to produce diverse mRNA variants.

5' Cap

A modified guanine nucleotide added to the 5' end of mRNA, important for stability and translation.

3' Poly-A Tail

A stretch of adenine nucleotides added to the 3' end of mRNA for stability and protection from degradation.

Kozak Sequence

A sequence surrounding the start codon in eukaryotic mRNA that is necessary for the initiation of translation.