Genprodukten

Genprodukten, or gene products, are the functional outputs of gene expression. They include all RNA molecules transcribed from a gene and the proteins encoded by that RNA, as well as other functional RNA species. The concept emphasizes that a gene's role is fulfilled not by the DNA sequence alone but by the molecules produced from it during transcription and (when applicable) translation.

Gene products come in several forms. Messenger RNA (mRNA) serves as the template for protein synthesis. Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and transfer RNA (tRNA) are essential components of the protein-making machinery. In addition to coding RNAs, there are numerous non-coding RNAs, such as microRNA and long non-coding RNA, which regulate gene expression. The protein products themselves include enzymes, structural proteins, receptors, signaling molecules, and transcription factors, among others. The gene product landscape thus spans a broad functional spectrum that drives cellular processes and organismal traits.

Expression of gene products is tightly regulated at multiple levels, including transcription, RNA processing, RNA stability, and translation. The abundance and activity of gene products influence phenotype and can respond to developmental cues, environmental conditions, and cellular states. Measuring gene products involves transcriptomic approaches (e.g., RNA sequencing) and proteomic approaches (e.g., mass spectrometry), often integrated in systems biology to model gene networks.

Historically, the concept has roots in the one gene–one enzyme idea but has broadened to encompass all products of gene expression, including non-coding RNAs. The term is widely used in genetics, molecular biology, biotechnology, and medical research to describe the functional output of genes and its role in health and disease.