DNA/RNA
What is the structure of DNA called?
Double helix
What is DNA replication?
Process of synthesizing new DNA strands from DNA
Before RNA processing, the RNA strand is called ______, and after processing it becomes _______.
pre-mature mRNA, mature mRNA
What is transcription?
Process of synthesizing mRNA from DNA
What is made as a product of translation?
Proteins
What are nucleic acids made up of?
Nucleotides
Which enzyme separates the two DNA strands?
Helicase
What is a poly-A tail?
a bunch of adenines added to the 3' end of mRNA
Why does transcription occur?
DNA cannot exit the nucleus, so a messenger RNA is needed to pass on the genetic information for protein synthesis to happen.
What is wobble/degeneracy/redundancy?
When many codons code for one amino acid
What nitrogenous bases does DNA use and which bases pair with which?
A, T, C, G - A pairs with T (double bond), C pairs with G (triple bond)
What does DNA polymerase do?
What is added on the 5' end of mRNA during RNA processing?
GTP (modified guanine triphosphate) cap
What enzyme is responsible for synthesizing the RNA strand?
RNA polymerase
Where does translation happen?
Ribosomes in the cytoplasm
Antiparallel
What is topoisomerase?
Enzyme that controls supercoiling of DNA to maintain optimal replication
What is splicing and alternative splicing?
Splicing: cutting out introns (non-protein coding sequences) from the pre-mature mRNA
Alternative splicing: cutting out different exons to create different mRNA sequences with the same DNA sequence
Promoter regions are sequences in DNA that mark the initiation of transcription, while primers are made of RNA and initiate DNA replication.
What types of RNA are involved in translation and what are their functions?
mRNA - messenger RNA, transports genetic information from DNA to ribosomes, contains codons
tRNA - transfer RNA - carries amino acids and anticodons
rRNA - ribosomal RNA - analyzes mRNA and mediates translation process (double stranded)
Name three differences between DNA and RNA.
Any three of the following:
DNA: deoxyribose sugar, thymine, double-stranded, stays in nucleus + storage of genetic info
RNA: ribose sugar, uracil, single-stranded (usually), can exit nucleus + delivering genetic info
DNA polymerase requires a ______ to initiate replication.
What are the function of introns? (although for our purposes it is used for nothing)
Regulation of transcription/translation, source of new genes (could potentially be beneficial or harmful traits so is not transcribed)
How does termination of translation happen?
When a terminator sequence is transcribed, the mRNA sticks to itself (complementary bases), which stop RNA polymerase activity.
What is the quaternary structure of proteins and how is it different from tertiary structure?
Quaternary structures are made up of many tertiary structures and have a function.