Chapter 12 Control of Genetic information via Gene regulation

Gene Regulation

The ability of cells to control the expression of their genes.

Transcription

The process of copying a segment of DNA into RNA.

Transcription Factors

Proteins that regulate the transcription of genes by binding to nearby DNA.

Chromatin Structure

The arrangement of DNA and proteins in the nucleus that influences gene expression.

DNA Methylation

The addition of methyl groups to DNA that generally inhibits transcription.

Constitutive Genes

Genes that are expressed at relatively constant levels in all cells.

Lac Operon

A cluster of genes in E. coli involved in lactose metabolism and its regulation.

Repressor

A protein that inhibits transcription of a gene by binding to the operator.

Activator

A protein that increases the rate of transcription by binding to a promoter.

Operator

A segment of DNA to which a repressor binds, preventing transcription.

Polymeric mRNA

An mRNA that encodes multiple polypeptides.

Feedback Inhibition

A mechanism in which the product of a process inhibits its own production.

Alternative Splicing

The process of producing different mRNAs from the same pre-mRNA by including or excluding certain exons.

Eukaryotic Gene Regulation

The complex regulation of gene expression in eukaryotic cells, involving multiple processes.

Facultative Heterochromatin

Regions of chromatin that can alternate between being compact and loosely packed, influencing gene expression.

RNA-binding proteins

Proteins that bind to RNA molecules and regulate their stability, splicing, or translation.

General Transcription Factors (GTFs)

Proteins required for the initiation of transcription by RNA polymerase II.

Core Promoter

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

CpG Islands

Regions of DNA with a high frequency of cytosine and guanine nucleotides; typically involved in gene regulation.

Histone Modifications

Chemical changes to histone proteins that influence gene expression by altering chromatin structure.

E. coli

A common bacterium used in studies of gene regulation and metabolism.

Small Effector Molecules

Compounds that bind to regulatory proteins and influence their activity.

Chromatin-remodeling complexes

Protein complexes that alter the structure of chromatin to regulate transcription.

Nucleosome-Free Regions (NFRs)

DNA segments that lack nucleosomes and are often associated with active transcription.

TATA Box

A DNA sequence found in the core promoter region that is crucial for the initiation of transcription.

Developmental Stages

Different phases in the growth and differentiation of multicellular organisms.

Proteome

The entire set of proteins expressed by a given cell or organism.

Iron Regulatory Protein (IRP)

A protein that regulates iron metabolism by controlling the translation of ferritin mRNA.

Chromatin Accessibility

The degree to which DNA is accessible for transcription and other processes.

RNA Polymerase II

The enzyme responsible for synthesizing RNA from a DNA template in eukaryotes.

mRNA Translation

The process by which ribosomes synthesize proteins using mRNA as a template.

Eukaryotic Cell Differentiation

The process by which cells become specialized in structure and function.

Inducible Genes

Genes that are normally off but can be turned on in response to certain stimuli.

Operon

A cluster of genes under the control of a single promoter, allowing for coordinated regulation.