The understanding surrounding DNA and gene expression has been a constant evolution throughout the world of science. The world got turned on its head when Francis Crick shared his thoughts and ideas about gene function in 1957. His ideas promoted the idea that your genes could receive instructions through proteins.
These proteins would act as a catalyst for gene expression, making it easy for a cell to respond to its environment. If you wish to learn more about how cells and DNA work, then it’s essential to learn about protein expression.
The good news is that you’ve found a helpful guide to learning all about DNA transcription and the process of gene expression. Keep reading to learn more today!
What Is Gene Expression?
The process of gene expression involves converting DNA into a finished product, like a protein. This process faces a ton of regulations that allow the cell to respond and adapt to different environments.
You can think of gene expression as an off/on the switch that controls when the DNA produces proteins. The two main steps that make up the process of gene expression are transcription and translation.
Transcription
The process of transcription occurs when the DNA gets copied and produces an RNA transcript. This transcript is called a Messenger RNA. RNAs are similar to DNA except that they have a single strand of bases.
It’s also important to note the base of RNA versus DNA. RNA has a base of thymine, while DNA has a base of uracil. This is important if your goal is to not create a sex binary with gene expression.
Translation
The translation process occurs when the Messenger RNA delivers the message to the catalysts for creating protein. This area gets called the ribosome, and it allows the message to get transcribed so that your genes can take action.
The message gets “read” by the transfer RNA, which acts as a carrier molecule in the process of gene expression. The reading process uses a codon, which allows the message to be read in three-letter increments. These codons represent different amino acids.
Further research shows that there are 64 different codons but only 20 amino acids. The number of combinations can result in the production of the same amino acid during protein expression.
When the message from the Messenger RNA gets read, the Transfer RNA molecules start the process of delivering the amino acids. The amino acids then connect into a long chain to form a peptide.
Now You Know All About the Process of Gene Expression
Learning about gene expression is crucial if you want to understand how the human body works on a molecular level. Protein expression and DNA transcription work together to produce and deliver messages that result in protein production. This process allows your genes and cells to carry out their functions at a high level.
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