Gene Expression, Transcription, and Translation

Flashcards from Chapter 17 Lecture Notes on Gene Expression, Transcription, and Translation

Gene

Sequence of DNA that codes for a protein

Gene Expression

Using a gene to make a protein or RNA product

Transcription

An RNA copy of a gene is made from DNA

Translation

The ribosome reads the RNA sequence and makes a chain of amino acids

mRNA

Xerox copy of 1 recipe (1 protein)

Ribosome

Chef (Makes proteins from the recipe)

RNA

Ribonucleic acid; differs structurally from DNA by being single stranded, using ribose sugar, and using uracil (U) instead of thymine (T)

mRNA (Messenger RNA)

Carries DNA gene information to the ribosome

rRNA (Ribosomal RNA)

Part of the structure of ribosomes

tRNA (Transfer RNA)

Brings amino acids to the ribosome

RNA Polymerase II

Pries the DNA strands apart and lays in the RNA nucleotides; does not require primers or helicase

Promoter Region

DNA sequence to which RNA Polymerase attaches (3' end of gene); includes a TATA box (eukaryotes)

Transcription Factors

Proteins that help RNA Polymerase II connect to the 3' end of the DNA template strand and open up the helix

Introns

Noncoding sequences removed from the mRNA transcript during RNA splicing

Exons

Coding regions of DNA that are expressed and spliced together after introns are removed

Spliceosomes

Complex of proteins that clip out the introns

Ribozymes

RNA molecules that function as enzymes and can splice mRNA

Anticodon

Region of the tRNA sequence that is complementary to the mRNA codon for a specific amino acid

Release Factor

Protein that binds to the stop codon in the A site of the ribosome during termination of translation