Genes and How They Work - Lecture Review

A set of flashcards covering the key vocabulary and concepts from the lecture on genes and their functions.

Gene

A segment of DNA that contains coding information for a protein.

Central Dogma of Molecular Biology

The process by which information flows from DNA to RNA to protein.

Amino Acid

Organic molecules that combine to form proteins. There are 20 different amino acids.

Peptide Bond

The bond linking two amino acids together.

Transcription

The process of copying a segment of DNA into RNA.

Translation

The process of translating the mRNA code into a polypeptide chain.

mRNA (messenger RNA)

The RNA molecule that carries genetic information from DNA to the ribosome for protein synthesis.

tRNA (transfer RNA)

The type of RNA that carries amino acids to the ribosome during protein synthesis.

rRNA (ribosomal RNA)

The RNA that makes up the ribosome and helps in protein synthesis.

Intron

Non-coding regions of a gene that are removed during pre-mRNA splicing.

Exon

Coding regions of a gene that are expressed and are retained in the mature mRNA.

Mutation

A change in the DNA sequence that can affect genetic information.

Point Mutation

A mutation that affects a single DNA base.

Chromosomal Mutation

A mutation that changes the structure of an entire chromosome.

Oncogene

A gene that has the potential to cause cancer; mutated proto-oncogenes.

Tumor Suppressor Gene

A gene that normally inhibits cell division; when mutated, can lead to cancer.

Transcription Unit

A stretch of DNA containing the necessary components for transcription to occur.

Promoter

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

5' Cap

A modified guanine nucleotide added to the 5' end of mRNA during processing.

Poly-A Tail

A series of adenine nucleotides added to the 3' end of mRNA after transcription.

Alternative Splicing

A process that allows a single gene to produce multiple proteins by including or excluding different exons.

Ribosome

A molecular machine that facilitates the translation of mRNA into a polypeptide.

Reading Frame

The way nucleotides in mRNA are divided into codons.

Codon

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

Stop Codon

A codon that signals the termination of protein synthesis.

Wobble Position

The flexibility in base pairing at the third codon position that allows tRNAs to recognize more than one codon.

RNA Polymerase

The enzyme responsible for synthesizing RNA from a DNA template.