Unit 6 APBIO Vocab
gel electrophoresis
Procedure used to separate and analyze DNA fragments by placing a mixture of DNA fragments at one end of a porous gel and applying an electrical voltage to the gel
lac operon
a gene system whose operator gene and three structural genes control lactose metabolism in E. coli
carcinogen
A cancer-causing substance
codon
A specific sequence of three adjacent bases on a strand of DNA or RNA that provides genetic code information for a particular amino acid
point mutation
gene mutation in which a single base pair in DNA has been changed
Regulator (operon)
gene that codes for repressor
structural genes (operon)
genes that code for proteins
ribozyme
a type of RNA that can act as an enzyme
vector
an organism that does not cause disease itself but which spreads infection by conveying pathogens from one host to another. Species of mosquito, for example, serve as vectors for the deadly disease Malaria.
replication fork
A Y-shaped region on a replicating DNA molecule where new strands are growing.
mutagen
A chemical or physical agent that interacts with DNA and causes a mutation.
DNA ligase
A linking enzyme essential for DNA replication; catalyzes the covalent bonding of the 3' end of a new DNA fragment to the 5' end of a growing chain.
Promotor
A region of DNA with a specific sequence that tells RNA polymerase where to begin transcription.
plasmid
A small ring of DNA that carries accessory genes separate from those of the bacterial chromosome
DNA helicase
An enzyme that unwinds the DNA double helix during DNA replication
genetically modified organism
An organism whose genetic material has been altered through some genetic engineering technology or technique.
exons
Coding segments of eukaryotic DNA.
recombinant DNA
DNA produced by combining DNA from different sources
DNA replication
DNA unzips into two parts and splits with the cell. In its new side each side of the DNA strand attack to matching nucleotides to create 2 exact copies; important in puberty and other times of growth as it is the reproducing of your cells.
RNA polymerase
Enzyme similar to DNA polymerase that binds to DNA and separates the DNA strands during transcription
restriction enzyme
Enzyme that cuts DNA at a specific sequence of nucleotides
heterochromatin
Eukaryotic chromatin that remains highly compacted during interphase and is generally not transcribed.
semiconservative replication
Method of DNA replication in which parental strands separate, act as templates, and produce molecules of DNA with one parental DNA strand and one new DNA strand
introns
Noncoding segments of nucleic acid that lie between coding sequences.
transgenic organism
Organisms that contain functional recombinant DNA from a different organism
translation
Process by which mRNA is decoded and a protein is produced
Single-stranded binding proteins
Proteins that act as scaffolding, holding two DNA strands apart during replication
gene therapy
The insertion of working copies of a gene into the cells of a person with a genetic disorder in an attempt to correct the disorder
repressor (operon)
When end product is present in excess, operon is turned off
genetic code
collection of codons of mRNA, each of which directs the incorporation of a particular amino acid into a protein during protein synthesis
operon
group of genes operating together
anticodon
group of three bases on a tRNA molecule that are complementary to an mRNA codon
Euchtomatin
lesser chromatin compaction; heavy gene expression; condensation variable during cell cycle; lightly stained regions
mRNA transcript
mRNA molecule formed during transcription that has a sequence of bases complementary to a gene.
mRNA
messenger RNA; type of RNA that carries instructions from DNA in the nucleus to the ribosome
frameshift mutation
mutation that shifts the "reading" frame of the genetic message by inserting or deleting a nucleotide
rRNA
ribosomal RNA; type of RNA that makes up part of the ribosome
genomics
study of whole genomes, including genes and their functions
DNA primase
synthesizes short RNA primers
operator (operon)
the binding site for the repressor, which turns off the Lac operon
Transcription
the organic process whereby the DNA sequence in a gene is copied into mRNA
tRNA
transfer RNA; type of RNA that carries amino acids to the ribosome
trp operon
tryptophan binds to the repressor protein and enables it to repress gene transcription.
promoter (operon)
where RNA polymerase binds