Central dogma
Central Dogma
Central Dogma (pronunciation: /ˈsɛntrəl ˈdɔːgmə/) is a fundamental principle in molecular biology that provides a detailed explanation of the flow of genetic information within a biological system.
Etymology
The term "Central Dogma" was first coined by the British molecular biologist Francis Crick in 1958. The word "dogma" is derived from the Greek word "dokein", which means "to seem good". In this context, it refers to a principle or set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true.
Definition
The Central Dogma describes the process by which the instructions in DNA are converted into a functional product. It involves two key steps: transcription and translation. In the first step, the DNA sequence is copied to produce RNA (a process known as transcription). In the second step, this RNA sequence is used to produce a protein (a process known as translation).
Related Terms
- DNA: Deoxyribonucleic acid, the molecule that carries genetic information in all living organisms.
- RNA: Ribonucleic acid, a molecule similar to DNA that plays an important role in protein synthesis and other chemical activities of the cell.
- Transcription: The process by which the information in a strand of DNA is copied into a new molecule of messenger RNA.
- Translation: The process by which the sequence of the messenger RNA molecule is used to create an amino acid chain, and thus a protein.
- Protein: Large, complex molecules that play many critical roles in the body. They are required for the structure, function, and regulation of the body's tissues and organs.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Central dogma
- Wikipedia's article - Central dogma
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski