molecular-biology

## What I do - Study molecular mechanisms in cells - Analyze DNA, RNA, and protein function - Investigate gene expression and regulation - Perform cloning and genetic manipulation - Study DNA replication and repair - Research transcription and translation ## When to use me - When studying gene structure and function - When analyzing gene expression - When performing molecular cloning - When investigating DNA replication - When researching transcription factors - When working with RNA ## Key Concepts ### Central Dogma DNA → RNA → Protein **Replication**: DNA → DNA **Transcription**: DNA → RNA **Translation**: RNA → Protein ### Gene Expression ```python # Example: Central dogma flow def central_dogma(sequence): """ Convert DNA sequence to protein. """ # Transcription: DNA to mRNA mrna = transcribe(sequence) # Translation: mRNA to protein protein = translate(mrna) return {'mRNA': mrna, 'protein': protein} # Gene expression regulation expression_levels = { 'constitutive': 'Always expressed', 'inducible': 'Expression increased by inducer', 'repressible': 'Expression decreased by repressor' } ``` ### Molecular Techniques - PCR: Polymerase chain reaction - Cloning: Gene insertion into vectors - Sequencing: Sanger, NGS - Southern/Northern/Western blotting - CRISPR-Cas9: Genome editing - RNA interference: Gene silencing ### DNA Replication - Origins of replication - DNA polymerases - Helicase and primase - Leading and lagging strands - Okazaki fragments - DNA ligase