Unit3 Flashcards
Heterochromatin
Tightly packed form of chromatin that is transcriptionally inactive.
Euchromatin
Loosely packed form of chromatin that is transcriptionally active.
Chromatin Remodeling
Process of altering chromatin structure to regulate gene expression.
Nucleosome Modification
Chemical modifications of histones within nucleosomes to affect gene expression.
Acetylation
Addition of an acetyl group to a histone, typically leading to increased gene expression.
Methylation
Addition of a methyl group to a histone or DNA, typically leading to decreased gene expression.
Epigenetics
Study of heritable changes in gene expression that do not involve changes to the underlying DNA sequence.
Fusion Protein
Protein created by combining two or more genes or protein fragments.
Yeast-Two Hybrid Assay
Technique used to identify protein-protein interactions.
Hyperacetylation
Increased level of acetylation on histones, associated with increased gene expression.
Hypoacetylation
Decreased level of acetylation on histones, associated with decreased gene expression.
Chimeric Proteins
Proteins composed of parts from different sources, often used in research and biotechnology.
RNA Splicing
Process of removing introns from pre-mRNA and joining exons together to form mature mRNA.
Alternative Splicing
Process of producing different mRNA transcripts from a single gene by splicing exons in different combinations.
Oligo(dT) Column
Column chromatography technique used to isolate mRNA from a mixture of nucleic acids.
Capping
Addition of a modified guanine nucleotide to the 5’ end of pre-mRNA to protect it from degradation and enhance translation efficiency.
Polyadenylation
Addition of a poly(A) tail to the 3’ end of pre-mRNA to protect it from degradation and enhance translation efficiency.
mRNA Processing
Series of modifications made to pre-mRNA to produce mature mRNA, including capping, polyadenylation, and splicing.
