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Genetics

The study of genes, how they carry information, how information is expressed, and how genes are replicated.

Genome

All the genetic information in a cell.

Chromosome

Structures containing DNA that physically carry hereditary information; the chromosomes contain genes.

Gene

Segments of DNA that encode functional products, usually proteins.

Genetic Code

A set of rules that determines how a nucleotide sequence is converted to an amino acid sequence of a protein.

Central Dogma

The process of transferring genetic information from DNA to RNA to protein.

Genotype

The genetic makeup of an organism; the order of the nitrogen-containing bases that forms the genetic instructions.

Phenotype

The expression of the genes; the observable characteristics of an organism.

DNA Replication

The process by which a double-stranded DNA molecule is copied to produce two identical DNA molecules.

DNA Polymerase

An enzyme that adds nucleotides to the growing DNA strand during replication.

Transcription

The process of synthesizing a complementary RNA strand from a DNA template.

Translation

The process of translating the mRNA code into a sequence of amino acids to form a protein.

Operon

A set of operator and promoter sites and the structural genes they control in prokaryotic gene regulation.

Inducible Gene

A gene that is expressed only when the appropriate inducer is present.

Repressible Gene

A gene that is normally expressed but can be turned off in the presence of a corepressor.

Mutation

A permanent change in the base sequence of DNA.

Mutagen

An agent that causes mutations in DNA.

Transformation

The process by which genes are transferred from one bacterium to another as 'naked' DNA.

Conjugation

The transfer of plasmids between bacteria through direct cell-to-cell contact.

Transduction

The transfer of DNA from one bacterium to another via a bacteriophage.

Plasmid

Self-replicating circular pieces of DNA that can enhance pathogenicity or confer antibiotic resistance.

Transposon

Segments of DNA that can move from one region of DNA to another, potentially carrying additional genes.

Nonsense Mutation

A mutation that substitutes a stop codon for an amino acid, terminating protein synthesis prematurely.

Point Mutation

A mutation in which a single base is substituted for another base, potentially altering the amino acid sequence.

Frameshift Mutation

A mutation caused by the insertion or deletion of bases that shifts the reading frame of the genetic code.