Molecular Genetics Vocabulary

Definition: section of DNA containing genes for proteins required for a specific metabolic pathway—consists of an operator, a promoter, a regulatory gene, and genes coding for proteins.

• Semiconservative replication

• Intron

• Operon

• Mutation

Definition: mRNA; type of RNA that carries genetic information from DNA in the nucleus to direct protein synthesis in the cytoplasm.

• Okazaki fragment

• Ribosomal RNA

• Transfer RNA

• Messenger RNA

Definition: rRNA; type of RNA that associates with proteins to form ribosomes.

• Transfer RNA

• Ribosomal RNA

• Translation

• Messenger RNA

tRNA; type of RNA that transports amino acids to the ribosome

• Transfer RNA

• Messenger RNA

• Translation

• Ribosomal RNA

enzyme that regulates RNA synthesis

• Transfer RNA

• DNA polymerase

• Ribosomal RNA

• RNA polymerase

in RNA processing, the intervening coding sequence missing from the final mRNA

• Mutagen

• Operon

• Exon

• Intron

Definition: a substance, such as a chemical, that causes mutations.

• Intron

• Mutation

• Mutagen

• Nucleotide

Definition: process in which mRNA attaches to the ribosome and a protein is assembled.

• Transfer RNA

• Ribosomal RNA

• Translation

• Transcription

Definition: 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.

• Okazaki fragment

• Messenger RNA

• Operon

• Semiconservative replication

Definition: the ability of an organism to control which genes are transcribed in response to the environment.

• Messenger RNA

• Nucleotide

• Translation

• Gene regulation