Nucleic Acids and Gene Expression

Gene expression describes the process through which information encoded in DNA is used to produce functional RNA or proteins.

It generally involves two major stages:

Transcription: RNA polymerase uses a DNA template to synthesize RNA.

Translation: Ribosomes read messenger RNA and assemble amino acids into a protein.

Gene expression is regulated by multiple mechanisms, including transcription factors, epigenetic modifications, RNA processing, and regulatory RNA molecules.

Understanding these mechanisms is essential for studying cellular differentiation, development, disease progression, and responses to environmental conditions.