Gene regulation

Gene regulation is the general term for modulation of gene expression, the cellular control of the amount and timing of appearance of the functional product of a gene. Although a functional gene product may be an RNA or a protein, the majority of the known mechanisms of gene regulation are from protein coding genes. Any step of gene expression may be modulated, from the DNA-RNA transcription step to protein synthesis. Gene regulation gives the cell the broadest control over structure and function, and is the basis for cellular differentiation, morphogenesis and the versatility and adaptability of any organism. Examples of gene regulation include the induction of heat shock proteins in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster.

Related Topics:
Gene expression - RNA - Protein - Transcription - Protein synthesis - Cellular differentiation - Morphogenesis - Organism - Heat shock protein - Drosophila melanogaster

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