When we say a gene is expressing itself, what does "gene expression" mean in relation to protein synthesis?
- DNA, the instruction for making specific proteins, can be found in genes. In the process called gene expression, the information contained in the gene’s DNA, first, undergoes transcription to produce a specific molecule of RNA which is then, second, translated into a corresponding sequence of amino acids to form a protein molecule. These protein molecules determine the physical and chemical characteristics of cells and, therefore, of the organism formed from them.