Regulation of RNA Transcription

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts related to the regulation of RNA transcription.

RNA Transcription

The process of copying a segment of DNA into RNA.

Transcription Factors

Proteins that bind to specific DNA sequences to regulate gene transcription.

Major Groove

The wider of the two grooves in the DNA double helix where transcription factors bind.

Minor Groove

The narrower of the two grooves in the DNA double helix.

Transcriptional Regulation

The mechanisms that control the transcription of genetic information from DNA to mRNA.

Gene Regulatory Proteins

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

Helix Turn Helix Motif

A common structural motif in transcription factors that allows them to bind to DNA.

Zinc Finger

A protein structural motif that binds zinc ions and is involved in DNA recognition.

Homeobox

A DNA sequence that regulates patterns of anatomical development.

Enhancer

A regulatory DNA sequence that increases the transcription of a gene, independent of its position or orientation.

Promoter

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

Heterodimerization

The process where two different polypeptide chains form a dimer, often resulting in increased specificity for DNA binding.

Transcription Initiation

The first step of transcription where transcription factors and RNA polymerase assemble at the promoter.

Alternative Splicing

The process by which a single pre-mRNA can be spliced in different ways to produce multiple mRNA variants.

Combinatorial Control

The regulatory mechanism where multiple signals and factors work together to regulate gene expression.

Post-Transcriptional Regulation

Control of gene expression at the RNA level after transcription.