Gene product

Gene product refers to the biochemical material, either RNA or protein, resulting from expression of a gene. The amount of gene product is used to measure how active a gene is; abnormal amounts can be correlated with disease-causing alleles.

Overview

In genetics, the term gene product is used to denote the functional output of a gene. This output is usually a protein, but it can also be an RNA molecule. The process of producing a gene product is called gene expression, which involves both transcription and translation.

Gene Expression

Gene expression is the process by which the genetic code - the nucleotide sequence - of a gene is used in the synthesis of a gene product. It starts with the process of transcription where the DNA sequence of a gene is transcribed into a molecule of mRNA. This mRNA molecule then serves as a template for the synthesis of the gene product during the process of translation.

Gene Products and Disease

Abnormal amounts of a gene product can often be correlated with disease-causing alleles. For example, mutations in the gene may result in the production of a gene product that is non-functional, or functional but in insufficient amounts. This can lead to a variety of genetic disorders, such as cystic fibrosis or sickle cell anemia.

See Also

• Gene
• Protein
• RNA
• Gene expression
• Transcription (genetics)
• Translation (biology)

Gene product Resources
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