Reading: Gene Regulation

Vocab

Epigenetics: the study of heritable changes caused by the activation and deactivation of genes without any change in DNA sequence

Operator: a segment of DNA to which a transcription factor protein binds

Operon: a unit of genetic material that functions in a coordinated manner by means of an operator, a promoter, and structural genes that are transcribed together

Promoter: the section of DNA that controls the initiation of RNA transcription

Repressor: any protein that binds to DNA and thus regulates the expression of genes by decreasing the rate of transcription

RNA polymerase: a DNA-dependent RNA polymerase, an enzyme, that produces RNA