Week 1 Vocabulary List

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)

The material in cells that stores genetic information as a sequence of nucleotide base pairs.

Double helix

The "twisted ladder" conformation of DNA.

Enhancer

In eukaryotes, a regulatory DNA sequence that can increase transcription from a promoter by binding to an activator protein.

Exon

A portion of the transcribed region of a eukaryotic gene that is represented in a mature messenger RNA molecule.

Functional RNA

An RNA molecule that carries out a function other than encoding a polypeptide.

Genetic code

The set of rules by which the nucleotide sequence in an mRNA is translated into an amino acid sequence in a polypeptide.

Genotype

The underlying genetic constitution of an organism.

Informational RNA

An RNA molecule that carries sequences that encode a polypeptide.

Intron

A portion of the transcribed region of a eukaryotic gene that is removed from the primary transcript before it exits the nucleus.

Mutation

A stably inherited change in the nucleotide sequence of DNA.

Phenotype

The observable (physical, behavioral) properties of an organism.

Polypeptide

A chain of amino acids.

Promoter

DNA sequence in the 5' upstream region of a gene to which RNA polymerase binds during transcription initiation.

Replication

Process by which DNA is duplicated, allowing for inheritance of genetic information.

RNA polymerase

The enzyme responsible for RNA synthesis.

Silencer

A DNA sequence regulatory element that can decrease transcription from a promoter by binding to a repressor.

Transcription

Process by which an RNA molecule is made from a DNA template during gene expression.

Translation

Process by which information in an mRNA molecule is used to direct the synthesis of a polypeptide.