Bio chapters review

Flashcards covering key vocabulary terms from the lecture notes.

Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP)

A single base pair change that is different within the population, often without significant biological function; used in ancestry tests.

Dermoid Cyst

A type of tumor, often forming in the ovary, where gene expression gets mucked up, leading to the growth of inappropriate tissues like hair and teeth.

Operon

Multiple genes controlled by one promoter and one regulatory element, involved in the same biological process (common in prokaryotes).

Lactose

A disaccharide (glucose + galactose) found in milk that E. coli can use as an energy source.

Lactase

An enzyme that hydrolyzes the covalent bond between glucose and galactose in lactose, allowing for its digestion.

Lac Operon

A regulatory element that controls the expression of genes involved in lactose metabolism in bacteria.

Lac Y, Lac Z, and Lac A Genes

Three genes downstream of the promoter in the lac operon that code for proteins involved in lactose metabolism (lactase, lactose transporter, and another protein with unknown function).

Operator

A special area in the promoter that serves as the control element for the lac operon.

Lac R Gene

A gene located elsewhere on the bacterial chromosome that is constitutively expressed, producing the lac repressor protein.

Lac Repressor

A protein that binds to the operator in the absence of lactose, preventing RNA polymerase from transcribing the genes in the lac operon.

Inducible Operon

Type of operon (e.g., lac operon) that can be turned ON by adding an agent (e.g., lactose).

Tryptophan

An amino acid that bacteria can synthesize; when present in the environment, bacteria no longer need to make it themselves.

Repressible Operon

Type of operon (e.g., trp operon) is turned OFF when a specific agent is added.

Trip Operon Genes

genes (TRP a, TRP b, TRP c, TRP d, and TRP e) that code for tryptophan producing enzymes.

Trip R Gene

Encodes for a protein called the TRP repressor.