Genetics and Molecular Biology

A series of vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts from genetics and molecular biology as taught in the lecture.

Mutation

A change in the DNA.

Proto-oncogenes

Genes which if mutated can cause cancer.

Tumor suppressor genes

Genes that control cell division or apoptosis (programmed cell death).

Benign tumor

A tumor that will not spread.

Malignant tumor

A cancerous tumor that will spread.

Primary tumor

A tumor found at the site where it began to grow.

Secondary tumor

A tumor found at a different site having metastasized or spread through the body.

Cell specialization

The process during which stem cells differentiate to form various cell types as a zygote grows.

Morphogens

Transcription factors that encourage or discourage gene transcription and expression.

Nucleosome

A DNA molecule wrapped around a core of 8 histone proteins, held together by an additional histone protein.

Chargraff’s rule

The principle indicating that the composition of DNA varies among species, and it relates to the problem of induction.

Semi-conservative replication

Type of DNA replication that saves half of the parental DNA in the daughter DNA.

5’ Prime to 3’ Prime

Refers to the direction in which DNA or RNA is synthesized.

Lagging strand

The DNA strand that must be built in fragments due to its antiparallel nature.

Somatic cells

Any non-sex cells in the body that contain stable DNA template strands.

Introns

Non-coding segments of pre-mRNA that are removed during RNA processing.

Transcription Factors

Proteins that bind to promoters and help position RNA polymerase.

Non-coding DNA

Sequences in DNA that do not code for polypeptides.

Translation

The synthesis of polypeptides from mRNA based on codon-anticodon pairing.

Degenerate code

Feature of the genetic code where more than one codon can code for the same amino acid.

Universal code

The concept that the same codons code for the same amino acids across different species.

Spliceosomes

Molecular complexes that remove introns from pre-mRNA.

5’ cap

A modified guanine nucleotide added to the 5’ end of mRNA to protect it and aid ribosome recognition.

Poly-A tailing

A chain of adenine nucleotides added to the 3’ end of mRNA to increase stability.

Ubiquitin tagging

The process by which unneeded or damaged proteins are tagged for degradation.

Epigenesis

The concept that DNA does not change but gene expression is controlled.

Promoter

A sequence upstream of a gene where RNA polymerase binds to initiate transcription.

TATA Box

A specific sequence within the promoter region that aids in the binding of RNA polymerase.

Enhancers

DNA sequences that can be located far from the gene and loop to contact the promoter.

Acetyl groups on histones

Chemical modifications that loosen DNA binding to histones, facilitating transcription.

Methyl groups

Chemical modifications that tighten DNA packing around histones, hindering transcription.