3.12 Gene Expression (not done) Flashcards
3.12 Understand how cells become specialised through differential gene expression, producing active mRNA leading to synthesis of proteins, which in turn control cell processes or determine cell structure in animals and plants, including the lac operon.
1
Q
What is the genome? Are all genes in the genome expressed?
A
- the entire set of DNA of a cell, including all its genes
- no, only some are activated and expressed
2
Q
How do stem cells become specialised through differential gene expression?
A
- stem cells all have the same genes, but not all of the genes are expressed during differentiation as not all of the are active
- under the right conditions, some genes are activated and some are inactivated
3.** mRNA** is only transcribed from the activated genes, and mRNA from the active genes is translated into proteins - these proteins modify the cell by determining the cell’s structure and controlling cellular processes
- these processes include the activation of more genes to produce more proteins
- these proteins change the cell - the cell becomes specialised
- these changes cannot be reversed - the cell will stay specialised
