Unit 6 Collumn 2 Flashcards
Gene Expression
The process by which a gene gets turned on in a cell to make RNA and proteins
Genome
the complete set of genes or genetic material present in a cell or organism
Structural Gene
a gene that codes for proteins or RNA that contribute to an organism’s physical structure
Operator
a DNA sequence that controls whether genes in an operon are transcribed. Binding site of repressor protein
Operon
a group of genes that are controlled by a single promoter and are transcribed together as a single mRNA
Lac Operon
Operon responsible for production of Lactase, first operon discovered, inducible
Inducible
a set of genes that are turned on by a specific stimulus, such as a molecule called an inducer, which removes repressor protein
Repressible
a group of genes that are usually on but can be turned off in response to environmental conditions by a repressor protein.
Allosteric Inhibitor
a molecule that binds to a site on an enzyme (called the allosteric site) other than the active site, causing a change in the enzyme’s shape and function
Repressor Protein
a protein that inhibits or regulates gene expression by binding to a specific DNA sequence called an operator
Regulator Gene
a gene that controls the expression of other genes. This includes the amount and quality of the expression
Inducer
a small molecule that turns on an operon, or group of genes. Lactose is an example.
Promoter
a DNA sequence that initiates transcription of an operon, is not coding and binding site of RNA polymerase
Euchromatin
a loosely packed form of chromatin within the nucleus of eukaryotic cells, characterized by being gene-rich and actively transcribed
Intron
a noncoding DNA sequence that is removed from a gene before it is translated into a protein. Introns are found in most eukaryotic genes but not prokayotes
Exon
a segment of a DNA or RNA molecule containing information coding for a protein or peptide sequence. “EXpressed”
Pre-mRNA
a long RNA molecule that contains the instructions for making a protein. It’s the primary transcript of a gene before splicing.
Transcription Factors
proteins that regulate gene expression by binding to specific DNA sequences
Enhancer
DNA sequences that regulate gene transcription by activating promoters. They are key to gene expression during differentiation and can be located thousands of base pairs away from the gene they regulate.
Methylation
a chemical process that adds a methyl group to DNA, which can alter gene expression. This epigenetic mechanism can be passed down through generations
Acetylation
an epigenetic modification that involves the addition of acetyl groups to DNA repair proteins and histones causing DNA to loosen from histones so it can be transcribed
Histone
proteins that help condense DNA into chromatin and form chromosomes
Silencer Protein
a class of DNA elements that recruit proteins to repress transcription
Activator Protein
proteins that play a crucial role in gene expression by enhancing the transcription of specific genes. They bind to DNA sequences called enhancers or promoter regions, located near or within the gene, and stimulate the recruitment of RNA polymerase
Ubiquitin
death tag for proteins
Proteosome
shreds proteins that have been tagged by ubiquitin
Telomere
protective caps at the ends of chromosomes that are made of DNA and protein. They help maintain chromosomal stability and prevent chromosomes from fraying. Poly A tail. During DNA replication, small amounts of the telomere are lost. The size of the telomere determines how many times the chromosome can replicate before important DNA information is lost. “Lifespan of the cell line”
Telomerase
adds A’s onto the telomere increasing its length.
Cell Differentiation
the process by which immature cells develop specialized characteristics and functions
Homeotic gene
regulatory genes that control the development of body structures in animals and plants. They are found in the genomes of vertebrates and invertebrates.
Oncogene
a gene that has the potential to cause cancer. It is a mutated or altered form of a normal gene called a proto-oncogene
Tumor
an abnormal mass of tissue that results from uncontrolled cell growth
Cancer
uncontrolled mitosis
Tumor Suppressor Gene
genes that help prevent cancer by regulating cell growth and division. They encode proteins that control cell cycle progression, DNA repair, and apoptosis
Metastasis
the spread of cancer cells from their original site (primary tumor) to other parts of the body
Coding DNA
the part of a gene that codes for a protein
Gene Cloning
a laboratory technique where a specific gene of interest is isolated from an organism’s DNA and copied multiple times, essentially creating identical copies of that gene, allowing scientists to study and manipulate it further; this process usually involves inserting the gene into a vector like a bacterial plasmid to replicate it within a host organism like bacteria
Gene Therapy
a technique that uses a gene(s) to treat, prevent or cure a disease or medical disorder. Often, gene therapy works by adding new copies of a gene that is broken, or by replacing a defective or missing gene in a patient’s cells with a healthy version of that gene
Recombinant DNA Tech
- a laboratory technique that combines DNA from different sources to create new DNA molecules
PCR
a laboratory technique that amplifies specific DNA segments. Polymerase chain reaction
Restriction Enzyme
a protein that cuts DNA at specific sequences
Reverse Transcriptase
an enzyme that converts RNA into DNA
Gel Electrophoresis
a laboratory technique that separates molecules by size and charge
Transgenics
a genetic engineering technique that introduces foreign DNA into an organism’s genome. The result is a genetically modified organism (GMO).
Ex Vivo
outside of the living body
In Vivo
Inside of the living body
SNP
single-nucleotide polymorphism is when a single nucleotide (building block of DNA) is replaced with another.
Intragenic
something occurs within a gene. For example, you might describe a mutation or recombination as intragenic.
Intergenic
refers to the DNA sequences between genes. These regions are also known as spacer DNA or junk DNA
CAS 9
a protein that cuts DNA, allowing scientists to alter an organism’s genome
CRISPR
a technology that allows researchers to modify DNA in living organisms easily and accurately
Genomics
the study of an organism’s complete set of DNA, known as the genome. It encompasses the structure, function, evolution, and interactions of all genes within the genome.
Proteomics
the study of proteins, their structure, function, and interactions. It aims to understand the complete set of proteins expressed in a cell, tissue, or organism, known as the proteome
GMO
genetically modified organism, which is a plant, animal, or microbe that has had its DNA modified. The goal of genetic modification is to alter the organism’s characteristics, such as its nutritional value or biological products
