Activator
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Activator
Activator (/ækˈtɪveɪtər/), in the context of biology and biochemistry, refers to a protein (or a molecule) that increases the transcription of a gene or a set of genes. Most activators are DNA-binding proteins that bind to enhancers or promoter-proximal elements.
Etymology
The term "activator" is derived from the Latin word "activare", which means "to set in motion" or "to make active".
Related Terms
- Transcription (biology): The process by which the information in a strand of DNA is copied into a new molecule of messenger RNA (mRNA).
- Gene: A unit of heredity that is transferred from a parent to offspring and is held to determine some characteristic of the offspring.
- Protein: A large molecule composed of one or more chains of amino acids in a specific order.
- DNA: Deoxyribonucleic acid, a self-replicating material present in nearly all living organisms as the main constituent of chromosomes. It is the carrier of genetic information.
- Enhancer (genetics): A short region of DNA that can be bound by proteins (activators) to increase the likelihood that transcription of a particular gene will occur.
- Promoter (genetics): A region of DNA that initiates transcription of a particular gene.
See Also
- Repressor: A DNA- or RNA-binding protein that inhibits the expression of one or more genes by binding to the operator or associated silencers.
- Regulation of gene expression: Any mechanism used by a cell to increase or decrease the production of specific gene products (protein or RNA).
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Activator
- Wikipedia's article - Activator
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