Question

What does it mean to say that gene expression is colinear?

Short answer

To say that gene expression is colinear means that the sequence of nucleotides in the gene is in the same linear order as the sequence of amino acids in the protein it codes for. Changes in the DNA sequence will correspondingly affect the protein structure.

Step-by-step solution

Understand Gene Expression

Gene expression refers to the process through which information from a gene is used in the synthesis of a functional gene product. It leads to the assembly of functional molecules within the cell.

Explain the Origin of the Concept

The concept of colinearity in genetics comes from studies on bacteriophage T4 in the 1960s. The researchers found that the order of mutations in the gene corresponded to the order of amino acid changes in the resultant protein.

Define Collinearity

When we say that gene expression is colinear, it means the sequence of nucleotides in the DNA molecule, from which the protein is synthesized, and the sequence of amino acids in the proteins is arranged in the same linear order. A consequent change in the DNA sequence will directly cause a corresponding change in the protein structure.

Explain the Transcription and Translation Process

In the process of transcription, the DNA sequence is copied to RNA. This RNA is then translated into a protein in a process called translation. Changes in the DNA sequence, therefore, impact the RNA sequence and, consequently, the sequence of the resulting protein.