What are the sequences of a gene's DNA that are coded to produce a specific protein called?

The sequences of a gene's DNA that are coded to produce a specific protein are known as coding DNA. This section of DNA contains the instructions for assembling amino acids into proteins, which are essential molecules for various biological functions.

In the context of gene structure, coding DNA refers specifically to the regions that are transcribed and subsequently translated into protein. This typically includes the exons, which are the segments of DNA that are expressed. The resulting mRNA is then used as a template for protein synthesis during translation.

Introns are non-coding regions that are typically spliced out of the mRNA transcript before translation. Promoters and enhancers are regulatory sequences that control the expression of genes but do not code for proteins themselves. The promoter region is where RNA polymerase binds to initiate transcription, while enhancers can enhance the transcription levels but are not directly involved in coding for protein sequences.