structural gene
Quick Summary
A structural gene is a gene that provides the instructions for building a protein, such as an enzyme, or for creating ribosomal or transfer RNA. Genes are the fundamental units of heredity, carrying the information passed from parents to offspring. They are made of DNA and are located on chromosomes.123
When a cell needs a specific protein, the DNA sequence of the gene is transcribed into a messenger RNA (mRNA) molecule. This mRNA then travels to a ribosome, where the genetic code is translated into a specific sequence of amino acids, forming a polypeptide chain that folds into a functional protein. This process, known as gene expression, dictates an organism's traits and functions.34
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