DNA Basics
The molecule that stores genetic information in cells.
What is DNA?
The molecule that carries genetic instructions from DNA to the ribosome.
mRNA
The building blocks of proteins.
What are amino acids?
The sugar that is found in milk that requires the enzyme lactase to digest
What is lactose?
The type of molecule that Leptin is.
What is a protein hormone?
In Nucleotides, the letters A, T, C, and G represent these.
Nitrogen Bases
The cellular structure that reads mRNA to build a protein
What is a ribosome?
A group of three bases on mRNA that code for an amino acid.
What is a codon?
What enzyme allows humans to digest lactose?
What is lactase?
Where Leptin is produced in the body.
What are fat cells?
Where DNA replication occurs in human cells
What is the nucleus?
The molecules that bring amino acids to the ribosomes during translation.
What are tRNA?
Place these steps in the correct order: translation, protein formation, transcription.
What is transcription, translation, protein formation
Do all humans have the lactase gene?
Yes....
The main function of leptin
What is regulating hunger and signaling fullness?
The name of the process that creates one mRNA molecule from unzipping the DNA molecule.
What is transcription?
The name of the process where mRNA is used to build a chain of amino acids.
The enzyme that builds the mRNA strand during transcription.
What is RNA Polymerase?
Why can some adults digest milk while others cannot?
A mutation in regulatory DNA keeps the lactase gene active in adulthood.
This is what happens in Leptin resistance. (think mechanism)
Leptin cannot properly bind to its receptor, so the body does not receive the signal to stop eating.
How does the sequence of bases in DNA determine the structure of a protein?
The order of DNA bases determines the order of codons in mRNA, which determines the sequence of amino acids, forming a specific protein structure.
Why can a change in a single DNA base sometimes change a trait in an organism?
A base change can alter a codon, which may change the amino acid sequence and alter the structure and function of the protein.
A scientist finds the following DNA sequence from a gene:
DNA:
TAC – TTT – GGA – CAA – ACT
Transcribe the DNA into mRNA.
Translate the mRNA into amino acids using a codon chart.
list the amino acid sequence that would be part of the protein
DNA:
TAC – TTT – GGA – CAA – ACT
mRNA:
AUG – AAA – CCU – GUU – UGA
Step 2: Translation (mRNA → Amino Acids)
AUG → Methionine (Met)
AAA → Lysine (Lys)
CCU → Proline (Pro)
GUU → Valine (Val)
UGA → Stop
Amino acid chain:
Met – Lys – Pro – Val
Why is lactase persistence considered an example of evolution in humans?
The mutation that keeps lactase active became more common in populations that consumed dairy.
How could a mutation in a gene affect leptin signaling?
It could change the protein structure of leptin or its receptor, preventing proper cell communication.