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3' UTR
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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
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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
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5' untranslated region; region just upstream of the protein-coding region in an RNA molecule that is not translated
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activator
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protein that binds to prokaryotic operators to increase transcription
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catabolite activator protein (CAP)
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protein that complexes with cAMP to bind to the promoter sequences of operons which control sugar processing when glucose is not available
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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; a process involving adding a methyl group to the DNA molecule
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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 (eIF-2)
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protein that binds first to an mRNA to initiate translation
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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 (GDP)
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molecule that is left after the energy is used to start translation
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guanine triphosphate (GTP)
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energy-providing molecule that binds to eIF-2 and is needed for translation
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histone acetylation
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epigenetic modification that leads to gene expression; a process involving adding or removing an acetyl functional group
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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 eIF-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 (miRNA)
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small RNA molecules (approximately 21 nucleotides in length) that bind to RNA molecules to degrade them
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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
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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 (RBP)
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protein that binds to the 3' or 5' UTR to increase or decrease the RNA stability
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small 40S ribosomal subunit
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ribosomal subunit that binds to the RNA to translate it into protein
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trans
-acting element
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transcription factor binding site found outside the promoter or on another 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 is not translated into protein. These regions lie before (upstream or 5') and after (downstream or 3') the protein-coding region