Transcription
Q: What is transcription?
Answer: This term describes the synthesis of RNA using a DNA template.
Q: What is gene expression?
Answer: This term describes the process by which information in a gene is used to make a functional product, usually a protein.
Q: What is A–U and G–C pairing?
Answer: This complementary base pairing pattern is used between mRNA and tRNA during translation.
Q: What is uracil?
Answer: During transcription, DNA's adenine pairs with this RNA base instead of thymine.
Q: What is translation?
Answer: This term describes the synthesis of a polypeptide from an mRNA template.
Q: What are mRNA (codon), tRNA (anticodon), and hydrogen bonds?
Answer: A codon is a three-base sequence found on this molecule; its complementary anticodon is found on this molecule, joined by these bonds.
Q: What is the antisense/template strand?
Answer: This DNA strand is complementary to the mRNA produced and serves as the template for RNA synthesis (distinct from the sense strand, which matches the mRNA sequence).
Q: What are ribosomes (free in the cytoplasm or bound to rough ER)?
Answer: This is the location in the cell where translation occurs.
Q: What are mRNA, tRNA, and the ribosome?
Answer: These three molecules carry out translation together: one carries the genetic code, one carries amino acids, and one provides the site of assembly.
Q: What is: the tightly coiled, hydrogen-bonded double-stranded structure (plus histone packaging) shields the base sequence from chemical and physical damage, keeping stored information stable?
Answer: This outlines how DNA's double-helix structure, hydrogen bonding, and packaging with proteins help protect the genetic information it stores.
Q: What are transcription (DNA → mRNA) and translation (mRNA → polypeptide)?
Answer: These are the two major steps of gene expression, in order.
Q: What is tRNA?
Answer: Unlike the single-stranded, linear mRNA molecule, this RNA folds into a cloverleaf/L-shape with an anticodon loop and an amino acid attachment site.
Q: What is: unwinding the DNA double helix, synthesizing RNA 5' to 3' by adding complementary nucleotides, and terminating transcription at a stop signal?
Answer: RNA polymerase performs these roles during transcription.
Q: What is: cell differentiation results from differential gene expression — different genes are transcribed in different cell types, so transcription regulates which proteins are made and therefore cell function?
Answer: This explains how genetically identical cells become specialized despite having the same DNA.
Q: What are the small and large subunits, and the A (aminoacyl), P (peptidyl), and E (exit) sites?
Answer: A ribosome is composed of these two subunits and has these three named tRNA-binding sites.