CHAPTER 12 Gene Transcription and RNA Modification
Alternative Exons Exons that vary from one cell type to another
Alternative Splicing Phenomenon that a pre-mRNA can be spliced in more
than one way
Basal Transcription Low level of transcription produced by the core promo-
ter. The binding of transcription factors to enhancer
elements increase transcription above the basal levels
Basal Transcription Apparatus The minimum components that are needed to transcribe
a eukaryotic gene; these include TFIID, TFIIB, TFIIF,
TFIIE, TFIIH, RNA polymerase, a DNA sequence
containing a TATA box, and a transcriptional start site
Central Dogma of Genetics The idea that the usual flow of genetic information is
from DNA to RNA to polypeptide (protein). DNA
replication serves to copy the information so that it can
be transmitted from cell to cell and from parent to
offspring
Coding Strand Non-template strand/sense strand; its sequence is the
same as the transcribed mRNA that encodes a
polypeptide
Codon 3-nucleotide sequences within the mRNA that specify
particular amino acids. The sequence of codons within
mRNA determines the sequence of amino acids within
a polypeptide
Colinearity The correspondence between the sequence of codons in
the DNA coding strand and the amino acid sequence of
a polypeptide
Consensus Sequence Most commonly occurring bases within a specific type
of sequence
Constitutive Exons Exons that are always found in the mature mRNAs from
all cell types; encode polypeptide segments of a protein
that are necessary for its general structure
Alternative Exons Exons that vary from one cell type to another
Alternative Splicing Phenomenon that a pre-mRNA can be spliced in more
than one way
Basal Transcription Low level of transcription produced by the core promo-
ter. The binding of transcription factors to enhancer
elements increase transcription above the basal levels
Basal Transcription Apparatus The minimum components that are needed to transcribe
a eukaryotic gene; these include TFIID, TFIIB, TFIIF,
TFIIE, TFIIH, RNA polymerase, a DNA sequence
containing a TATA box, and a transcriptional start site
Central Dogma of Genetics The idea that the usual flow of genetic information is
from DNA to RNA to polypeptide (protein). DNA
replication serves to copy the information so that it can
be transmitted from cell to cell and from parent to
offspring
Coding Strand Non-template strand/sense strand; its sequence is the
same as the transcribed mRNA that encodes a
polypeptide
Codon 3-nucleotide sequences within the mRNA that specify
particular amino acids. The sequence of codons within
mRNA determines the sequence of amino acids within
a polypeptide
Colinearity The correspondence between the sequence of codons in
the DNA coding strand and the amino acid sequence of
a polypeptide
Consensus Sequence Most commonly occurring bases within a specific type
of sequence
Constitutive Exons Exons that are always found in the mature mRNAs from
all cell types; encode polypeptide segments of a protein
that are necessary for its general structure
