Eukaryotic Gene Regulation and Development

Vocabulary flashcards related to eukaryotic gene regulation, transcription factors, and developmental biology.

Transcription Factors

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

Frameshift Mutations

Insertions or deletions of base pairs in DNA not divisible by three, causing a shift in the reading frame.

BCL11A

A transcription factor that acts as a repressor for fetal hemoglobin production.

Spliceosome

A complex of RNA and proteins that removes introns from pre-mRNA transcripts.

Zygotic Genome Activation (ZGA)

The point at which the embryonic genome begins to be transcribed.

Complete Dominance

A genetic scenario where one allele completely masks the effect of another allele.

Incomplete Dominance

A genetic scenario where neither allele is completely dominant, resulting in a blended phenotype.

Pleiotropy

The phenomenon where one gene influences multiple, seemingly unrelated phenotypic traits.

Enhancer

A DNA sequence that increases the likelihood of transcription of a particular gene.

Maternal Effect Genes

Genes expressed in the mother that influence the development of the embryo.

Hox Genes

A group of genes responsible for determining the body plan along the head-to-tail axis.

Activator

A transcription factor that increases gene transcription by helping RNA polymerase bind to the promoter.

bHLH

Basic Helix-Loop-Helix, a family of transcription factors involved in various developmental processes.

CRISPR Cas9

A technology used for editing genomes, allowing researchers to alter DNA sequences and modify gene function.

Gene Therapy

A technique that modifies a person's genes to treat or cure disease.

Drosophila

A genus of small flies, commonly known as fruit flies, used as a model organism in genetics.

Intron

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