Oncogene - A gene, one or more forms of which is associated with cancer. Many oncogenes are involved, directly or indirectly, in controlling the rate of cell growth.

Open Reading Frame (ORF) - Amino-acid sequences identified as genes that encode proteins with functions that have not yet been assigned; characterised by long stretches of codons in the same reading frame uninterrupted by stop codons.

Operon - A unit of DNA composed of specific genes , plus a promotor and/or operator, which act in unison to regulate the response of structural genes to environmental changes.