Chapter 18: Gene Expression: The Genetic Code & Transcription

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to gene expression, transcription, and the genetic code.

Central Dogma of Biology

Information flows from DNA to RNA to Protein.

Transcription

The process of synthesizing RNA from a DNA template.

Translation

The process of synthesizing proteins from mRNA.

Reverse Transcriptase

An enzyme that converts RNA into DNA.

Promoter

A specific DNA sequence that indicates the start point for transcription.

Transcription Bubble

The unwound region of DNA where RNA polymerase synthesizes RNA.

mRNA (messenger RNA)

A type of RNA that conveys genetic information from DNA to the ribosome.

Codon

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

Anticodon

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

RNA Polymerase

An enzyme that synthesizes RNA from a DNA template.

miRNA (micro RNA)

Small non-coding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression.

Exons

Coding sequences of a gene that are expressed in the final mRNA.

Introns

Non-coding sequences within a gene that are removed during RNA processing.

Splicing

The process of removing introns and joining exons in mRNA.

Alternative Splicing

A process that allows a single gene to code for multiple proteins by including or excluding specific exons.

Rho protein

A helicase protein that terminates transcription in prokaryotes.

Sigma Factor

A protein subunit that helps RNA polymerase find the promoter in prokaryotic transcription.

Enhancers

Regulatory DNA sequences that increase transcription of specific genes.

Silencers

Regulatory DNA sequences that decrease or shut off transcription when bound by repressor proteins.

RNA Processing

Modifications that occur to RNA before it can be translated, including capping, tailing, and splicing.