Gene Regulation

"RNA Processing"

"Modifications to pre-mRNA, splicing, 5' cap, poly-A tail"

"Splicing"

"Removal of introns, joining of exons"

"Alternative Splicing"

"Different mRNA combinations, increasing protein diversity"

"5’ Cap"

"Modified guanine, protects, aids translation"

"Poly-A Tail"

"Adenine string, stability, export, translation"

"Gene Regulation"

"Controlling gene expression, timing, location, amount"

"Constitutive Genes"

"Always active, essential functions"

"Facultative Genes"

"Expressed when needed, response to signals"

"Cell Differentiation"

"Unspecialized cells become specialized"

"Transcription Factors"

"Proteins regulating gene expression, RNA synthesis"

"General Transcription Factors"

"Essential for RNA Pol II, function at promoters"

"Specific Transcription Factors"

"Modulate gene transcription, activators, repressors"

"Repressors"

"Bind DNA, decrease gene transcription"

"Activators"

"Bind DNA, increase gene transcription"

"Positive Control"

"Gene expression requires active regulatory protein"

"Negative Control"

"Gene expression occurs unless repressed"

"Small Effector Molecules"

"Regulate activity, bind to regulatory proteins"

"Cis-acting"

"DNA sequences regulating genes on the same chromosome"

"Trans-acting"

"Proteins/genes regulating genes on different chromosomes"

"Operon"

"Cluster of genes under a single promoter"

"Polycistronic mRNA"

"mRNA coding for multiple proteins from one transcript"

"Regulon"

"Group of genes regulated as a unit by a single regulatory protein"

"TATA Box"

"Promoter DNA sequence for RNA Pol II binding"

"Transcriptional Start Site"

"DNA location where transcription begins"

"Basal Transcription"

"Minimal gene expression level without specific regulation"

"Promoters"

"DNA elements defining transcription start sites"

"Enhancers"

"DNA sequences increasing gene transcription"

"Silencers"

"DNA sequences decreasing gene transcription"

"Preinitiation Complex (PIC)"

"RNA Pol II + General Transcription Factors assembly"

"Mediator"

"Multiprotein complex linking transcription factors to RNA Pol II"

"Chromatin"

"DNA + protein complex in eukaryotes"

"Euchromatin"

"Loosely packed, gene-rich, transcriptionally active chromatin"

"Heterochromatin"

"Densely packed, gene-poor, transcriptionally inactive chromatin"

"DNA Methylation"

"Addition of methyl groups to DNA, alters gene expression"

"Chromatin Remodeling Complex"

"ATP-dependent complex, modifies chromatin structure"

"Histone Variant"

"Non-canonical histone proteins, replace core histones"

"Histone Acetyltransferase (HAT)"

"Enzyme adding acetyl groups to histones, opens chromatin"

"Histone Code"

"Hypothesis that histone modification patterns regulate gene expression"

"Nucleosome-free Region (NFR)"

"DNA region without nucleosomes, often at promoters"

"DNA Methyltransferase (DNMT)"

"Enzyme adding methyl groups to DNA, maintains methylation patterns"

"Epigenetics"

"Heritable changes in gene expression, without altering DNA sequence"

"RNA Interference (RNAi)"

"Gene silencing by RNA molecules"

"MicroRNA (miRNA)"

"Small RNA, represses translation or mRNA stability"

"Small Interfering RNA (siRNA)"

"Small RNA, cleaves complementary mRNA"

"RNA-Induced Silencing Complex (RISC)"

"Protein complex carrying miRNA/siRNA to target mRNA"