Genexpression

Genexpression is the set of biological processes by which information encoded in a gene is used to produce a functional product, typically a protein or a molecule of RNA. The core steps include transcription of DNA into RNA, RNA processing and maturation, export of RNA from the nucleus in eukaryotes, translation of mRNA into protein, and post-translational modification and folding of proteins. Some genes also produce functional noncoding RNAs that regulate various cellular activities.

Gene expression is regulated at multiple levels. Transcriptional control relies on promoters, enhancers, transcription factors, and other regulatory proteins to initiate or repress RNA synthesis. Chromatin structure and epigenetic marks influence access to DNA and can modulate expression. At the RNA level, processes such as alternative splicing, RNA stability, localization, and the action of microRNAs and RNA-binding proteins shape transcript abundance and function. Protein activity is further modulated after translation through folding, chemical modification, trafficking, and controlled degradation.

Expression patterns vary across cell types, developmental stages, and environmental conditions, enabling cells to specialize and respond to stimuli. dysregulation of gene expression is implicated in many diseases, including cancer, metabolic disorders, and developmental syndromes. Technologies such as quantitative PCR, RNA sequencing, microarrays, and reporter assays are used to measure and analyze expression, helping to infer regulatory networks and functional roles.

Understanding genexpression supports advances in medicine, biotechnology, and agriculture, and underpins research into how organisms adapt and develop.