Openstax Biology - Chapter 16 - Gene Expression

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3' UTR

Back 1

3' untranslated region; region just downstream of the protein-coding region in an RNA molecule that is not translated

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5' cap

Back 2

a methylated guanosine triphosphate (GTP) molecule that is attached to the 5' end of a messenger RNA to protect the end from degradation

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5' UTR

Back 3

5' untranslated region; region just upstream of the protein-coding region in an RNA molecule that is not translated

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activator

Back 4

protein that binds to prokaryotic operators to increase transcription

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catabolite activator protein

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protein that complexes with cAMP to bind to the promoter sequences of operons that control sugar processing when glucose is not available, also known as CAP

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cis-acting element

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transcription factor binding sites within the promoter that regulate the transcription of a gene adjacent to it

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dicer

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enzyme that chops the pre-miRNA into the mature form of the miRNA

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DNA methylation

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epigenetic modification that leads to gene silencing; commonly found in cancer cells

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enhancer

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segment of DNA that is upstream, downstream, perhaps thousands of nucleotides away,or on another chromosome that influence the transcription of a specific gene

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epigenetic

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heritable changes that do not involve changes in the DNA sequence

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eukaryotic initiation factor-2

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protein that binds first to an mRNA to initiate translation, also known as eIF-2

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gene expression

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processes that control the turning on or turning off of a gene

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guanine diphosphate

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molecule that is left after the energy is used to start translation, also known as GDP

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guanine triphosphate

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energy-providing molecule that binds to eIF-2 and is needed for translation, also known as GTP

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histone acetylation

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epigenetic modification that leads to gene silencing; commonly found in cancer cells found in cancer cells

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inducible operon

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operon that can be activated or repressed depending on cellular needs and the surrounding environment

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initiation complex

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protein complex containing eIF2-2 that starts translation

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lac operon

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operon in prokaryotic cells that encodes genes required for processing and intake of lactose

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large 60S ribosomal subunit

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second, larger ribosomal subunit that binds to the RNA to translate it into protein

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microRNA

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small RNA molecules (approximately 21 nucleotides in length) that bind to RNA molecules to degrade them, also known as miRNA

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myc

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oncogene that causes cancer in many cancer cells

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negative regulator

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protein that prevents transcription

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operator

Back 23

region of DNA outside of the promoter region that binds activators or repressors that control gene expression in prokaryotic cells

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operon

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collection of genes involved in a pathway that are transcribed together as a single mRNA in prokaryotic cells

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poly-A tail

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a series of adenine nucleotides that are attached to the 3' end of an mRNA to protect the end from degradation

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positive regulator

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protein that increases transcription

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post-transcriptional

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control of gene expression after the RNA molecule has been created but before it is translated into protein

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post-translational

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control of gene expression after a protein has been created

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proteasome

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organelle that degrades proteins

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repressor

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protein that binds to the operator of prokaryotic genes to prevent transcription

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RISC

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protein complex that binds along with the miRNA to the RNA to degrade it

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RNA stability

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how long an RNA molecule will remain intact in the cytoplasm

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RNA-binding protein

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protein that binds to the 3' or 5' UTR to increase or decrease the RNA stability (RBP)

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small 40S ribosomal subunit

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ribosomal subunit that binds to the RNA to translate it into protein trans-acting element transcription factor binding site found outside the promoter or on another

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chromosome that influences the transcription of a particular gene

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transcription factor

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protein that binds to the DNA at the promoter or enhancer region and that influences transcription of a gene

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transcription factor binding site

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sequence of DNA to which a transcription factor binds

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transcriptional start site

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site at which transcription begins

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trp operon

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series of genes necessary to synthesize tryptophan in prokaryotic cells

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tryptophan

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amino acid that can be synthesized by prokaryotic cells when necessary

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untranslated region

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segment of the RNA molecule that are not translated into protein. These regions lie before (upstream or 5') and after (downstream or 3') the protein-coding region