CONSTITUTIVE GENE Meaning and
Definition
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A constitutive gene is a type of gene whose expression is continuously active or present in all cells of an organism, regardless of external factors or fluctuations in the environment. It is an essential gene that codes for proteins or functions that are necessary for basic cellular processes and the normal functioning of an organism. Constitutive genes are key players in maintaining the fundamental metabolic and physiological functions required for the survival and growth of an organism.
Unlike other genes, constitutive genes do not require the presence of specific conditions or regulatory signals to be turned on or off. Instead, their expression is considered to be "constitutively active" or "constitutively expressed" at a basal level. This continuous expression is crucial for the production of proteins controlling vital biological processes such as cellular respiration, DNA replication, and cell division.
Constitutive genes are generally involved in the maintenance of homeostasis and the standard functioning of an organism. Examples of constitutive genes include those encoding structural proteins like actin or tubulin, enzymes involved in basic metabolic pathways such as glycolysis or the pentose phosphate pathway, and proteins responsible for the maintenance of genetic material such as DNA polymerase or ribosomal proteins.
Overall, constitutive genes play a fundamental role in ensuring the normal development, growth, and survival of an organism by providing a constant supply of necessary proteins or functions, regardless of external conditions.
Common Misspellings for CONSTITUTIVE GENE
- xonstitutive gene
- vonstitutive gene
- fonstitutive gene
- donstitutive gene
- cinstitutive gene
- cknstitutive gene
- clnstitutive gene
- cpnstitutive gene
- c0nstitutive gene
- c9nstitutive gene
- cobstitutive gene
- comstitutive gene
- cojstitutive gene
- cohstitutive gene
- conatitutive gene
- conztitutive gene
- conxtitutive gene
- condtitutive gene
- conetitutive gene
- conwtitutive gene
Etymology of CONSTITUTIVE GENE
The term "constitutive gene" is formed by combining the words "constitutive" and "gene". Here is the etymology of each word:
1. Constitutive: It comes from the Latin word "constituere", which means "to set up" or "to establish". In the context of genetics, it refers to a gene that is always active or "on" in an organism, regardless of environmental conditions or cellular signals.
2. Gene: It has its roots in the German word "Gen", which was coined by the Danish botanist and plant breeder Johannsen in the early 20th century. The term "gene" was introduced to describe the functional units of heredity that determine specific traits in living organisms.
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