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Genetics
Chapter 12 Vocabulary
20
Biology
Undergraduate 3
10/27/2012

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Term
Allosteric effector
Definition
A small molecule that binds to a regulatory protein and changes its DNA-binding activity.
Term
Alternative splicing
Definition
The ability to create different mRNA molecules encoding different polypeptides by combining different sets of exons from a single kind of pre-mRNA.
Term
Catabolite repression
Definition
Inactivation of an operon in the presence of a metabolic end product of the operon.
Term
Chromatin remodeling
Definition
Local opening of chromatin structure to allow for gene expression.
Term
Constitutive
Definition
Describes a gene that is always expressed at approximately the same level.
Term
Enhanceosome
Definition
A large complex of regulatory proteins that stabilizes binding of RNA polymerase to a promoter and allows for initiation of transcription.
Term
Enhancer
Definition
In eukaryotes, a regulatory DNA sequence that can increase transcription from a promoter by binding to an activator protein.
Term
Gene regulation
Definition
The ability of cells to adjust levels of gene expression in response to developmental cues and changes in the environment.
Term
Inducer
Definition
A small molecule that allosterically inactivates a repressor and allows expression of a gene or set of genes.
Term
Inducible
Definition
Describes a gene that is normally turned off but can be turned on in the presence of a small molecule.
Term
Induction
Definition
Stimulation of gene expression by inactivation of a repressor by a small molecule.
Term
Negative regulation
Definition
A system of regulated gene expression in which binding of a regulatory protein decreases gene expression.
Term
Operator
Definition
In prokaryotic gene expression, a DNA segment near the promoter to which regulatory proteins bind and modulate activity of the promoter.
Term
Operon
Definition
In prokaryotes, a set of adjacent genes that are transcribed as a polycistronic mRNA and that are coordinately regulated.
Term
Positive regulation
Definition
A system of regulated gene expression in which binding of a regulatory protein increases gene expression.
Term
Repressible
Definition
Describes a gene that is normally turned on but can be turned off in the presence of a small molecule.
Term
Repressor
Definition
A protein that binds to a DNA regulatory element and inhibits transcription of a gene or genes.
Term
RNA interference
Definition
Phenomenon in which expression of a single gene is silenced by introduction of a double-stranded RNA sequence corresponding to part of the mRNA.
Term
Silencer
Definition
A DNA sequence regulatory element that can decrease transcription from a promoter by binding to a repressor.
Term
Trans-acting factor
Definition
A diffusible protein that binds to a specific DNA sequence on a gene resulting in a change in gene expression.
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