Lecture 19: Eukaryotic Genes and Genomes I

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to eukaryotic genes, genomes, and genetic manipulation as discussed in the lecture.

Eukaryotic Genes

Genes found in eukaryotic organisms that often contain introns and are regulated differently compared to prokaryotic genes.

Introns

Non-coding sequences of DNA found within a gene that are transcribed into RNA but are removed during RNA processing.

Exons

Coding sequences of DNA that are expressed as proteins; these segments are retained in the final mRNA.

Splicing

The process by which introns are removed from the primary RNA transcript and exons are joined together to form mature mRNA.

Transposon

A mobile DNA sequence that can insert itself into different positions within the genome, potentially disrupting or altering gene function.

Genomic Library

A collection of DNA sequences that represent an organism's genome, usually cloned into vectors for analysis.

Alternative Splicing

A process by which different combinations of exons are joined together to produce multiple protein variants from a single gene.

Centomorgan (cM)

A unit of measure for genetic linkage, indicating a 1% chance of recombination between two loci.

Kilobase (Kb)

A unit of measurement for DNA or RNA sequences that equals 1,000 base pairs.

Megabase (Mb)

A unit of measurement for DNA or RNA sequences that equals 1,000,000 base pairs.

S. cerevisiae

The scientific name for the common yeast, often used as a model organism in genetic studies.

Mouse (Mus musculus)

A common mammalian model organism used for studying genetics and gene function.

Reporter Gene

A gene that researchers attach to a regulatory sequence of another gene of interest to measure expression.

β-galactosidase

An enzyme used as a reporter in assays to detect and quantify gene expression.

Phenotypic Screen

A method used to identify organisms with a desirable trait or phenotype resulting from a genetic modification.

Transcriptional Activity

The process of converting DNA into RNA transcribes genes into mRNA, which can then be translated into proteins.

Random Insertion Library

A collection of genetically modified organisms where a transposon has randomly inserted into various locations within their genome.