What term describes the activation of an inserted gene to produce its product?

• A. Expression
• B. Replication
• C. Transduction
• D. Transformation

Answer: (A)

Gene expression is the process by which a gene’s information is used to produce its product, typically a protein or RNA. When a gene is inserted into a cell and activated, it is transcribed into mRNA and then translated to make the functional product—the expression of that gene. This reflects turning the gene on so its instructions are actually carried out to create the product.

Replication, on the other hand, is about making a copy of the DNA sequence itself, not producing the gene product. Transduction refers to the transfer of genetic material via a virus, so it’s about moving DNA rather than expressing it. Transformation describes the uptake of external DNA by a cell and its incorporation, but it does not by itself specify producing the gene’s product. The process that specifically describes producing the product from an inserted gene is gene expression.