AP Biology Flashcards: Regulation of Gene Expression
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Review key ideas with interactive flashcards. This set includes 11 cards to help you master important concepts.
What is the relationship between gene expression and cell differentiation?
Cell differentiation results from differential gene expression, where specific combinations of genes are turned on or off, leading to specialized cell phenotypes.
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What is the relationship between gene expression and cell differentiation?
Cell differentiation results from differential gene expression, where specific combinations of genes are turned on or off, leading to specialized cell phenotypes.
How do regulatory sequences and regulatory proteins interact to control gene expression?
Regulatory proteins bind to regulatory sequences on the DNA, and this interaction controls whether or not transcription of a gene will occur.
Explain the significance of a regulatory sequence's location.
The location of a regulatory sequence relative to the gene it controls is directly related to its function in regulating transcription.
What are epigenetic changes?
Epigenetic changes are reversible modifications made to DNA or histones that can alter gene expression without changing the DNA sequence itself.
How are groups of genes coordinately regulated in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes?
Both prokaryotes and eukaryotes have mechanisms to coordinately regulate gene groups, such as operons in prokaryotes and shared transcription factors in eukaryotes.
If a reversible modification is made to a histone protein, what is a possible outcome for gene expression?
A modification to a histone can affect how tightly DNA is wound, potentially making a gene more or less accessible for transcription, thereby altering its expression.
How might a eukaryotic cell activate multiple genes required for a stress response, even if they are on different chromosomes?
The cell can produce specific transcription factors that recognize and bind to common regulatory sequences present on each of the stress-response genes, activating them simultaneously.
What is an operon in the context of prokaryotic gene regulation?
An operon is a group of genes found in prokaryotes that are regulated together as a single unit to control a specific metabolic pathway.
What are regulatory sequences?
Regulatory sequences are stretches of DNA that interact with regulatory proteins to control transcription.
How is the phenotype of a cell determined by its genes?
A cell's phenotype is determined by the specific combination of genes it expresses and the levels at which those genes are expressed.
Contrast the primary mechanisms for coordinated gene regulation in prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
Prokaryotes primarily use operons to regulate physically clustered genes, while eukaryotes use shared transcription factors to regulate genes that can be located far apart.