AP Biology: From Gene to Protein

A collection of flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts related to the process of gene expression and protein synthesis.

Central Dogma

The flow of genetic information in a cell from DNA to RNA to protein.

Transcription

The process of copying a segment of DNA into mRNA.

Translation

The process by which mRNA is decoded to produce a specific polypeptide or protein.

mRNA splicing

The process of editing the primary mRNA transcript to remove introns and join exons.

Exons

The coding regions of a gene that are expressed in the final mRNA.

Introns

Non-coding regions of a gene that are removed during mRNA splicing.

Codon

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

tRNA

Transfer RNA, which brings amino acids to the ribosome during protein synthesis.

Amino acid

The building blocks of proteins; each specified by a codon.

Ribosome

The cellular machinery that facilitates the translation of mRNA into proteins.

RNA polymerase

The enzyme that synthesizes RNA from a DNA template during transcription.

Promoter region

The DNA sequence that initiates transcription, recognized by RNA polymerase.

Signal peptide

A short peptide sequence that directs the transport of a protein.

Wild-type

The typical phenotype of a species, often used as a baseline in genetics.

One gene: one enzyme hypothesis

The theory that each gene encodes for a specific enzyme.

Alternative splicing

The process by which different combinations of exons are joined together to produce different proteins from the same gene.

Poly-A tail

A stretch of adenine nucleotides added to the 3' end of mRNA, protecting it from degradation.

Start codon

The codon that signals the start of translation, typically AUG.

Stop codons

Codons that signal the termination of translation, including UGA, UAA, and UAG.

Clover leaf structure

The shape of tRNA, which helps it to carry amino acids and match them with mRNA codons.