Gene expression

Gene expression is the use of information encoded in a gene to produce a functional RNA molecule or protein. It includes transcription and, for protein-coding genes, translation.

Transcription: The synthesis of RNA from a DNA template by RNA polymerase. It copies a gene’s DNA sequence into an RNA product, the first step for most genes.
DNA: A molecule that stores hereditary information in a sequence of nucleotides. Its sequence provides the template and regulatory signals used in gene expression.
RNA sequencing: A method that sequences RNA-derived molecules to measure transcript abundance and identify RNA species. It surveys expression across many genes in a sample at once.
Cell differentiation: The process by which a cell acquires specialized structure and function. Distinct expression programs help specialized cell types develop from shared genomes.
DNA replication: The copying of a DNA molecule to produce two DNA molecules before cell division. Replication duplicates genetic material; it does not use a gene to make its functional product.
RNA processing: The modification of a primary RNA transcript into a mature RNA molecule. Capping, splicing, and other modifications shape many transcripts before they function or leave the nucleus.
RNA: A nucleic acid whose chains of nucleotides perform coding, structural, catalytic, and regulatory roles. RNA is both a direct expression product and an intermediary in protein production.
Single-cell RNA sequencing: RNA sequencing methods that measure gene-expression profiles in individual cells. It separates expression differences among cells that bulk measurements average together.
Cellular reprogramming: The induced change of a cell’s identity or developmental state by altering regulatory programs. Changing expression networks can make cells adopt a different identity.
Gene regulation: The control of when, where, and how much genes are expressed. Regulation sets expression patterns, whereas expression is the production process being controlled.

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