The Bio-Basics
History & Discovery
DNA Structure
DNA vs. RNA
The Replication Squad
100
These are the individual "building blocks" that bond together to form a polymer.
What are monomers?
100
Known as the "Father of Genetics," he used pea plants to discover the laws of inheritance.
Who is Gregor Mendel?
100
This rule states that the amount of Adenine always equals Thymine, and Cytosine equals Guanine.
What is Chargaff’s Rule?
100
DNA is a double-stranded molecule, while RNA usually exists in this form.
What is single-stranded?
100
This enzyme acts like a zipper, unwinding and separating the DNA strands.
What is Helicase?
200
This is the specific monomer that makes up DNA and RNA.
What is a nucleotide?
200
Using "Rough" and "Smooth" bacteria in mice, these two scientists discovered the "Transforming Principle."
Who are Griffith and Avery?
200
These weak bonds hold the nitrogenous bases together in the center of the double helix.
What are hydrogen bonds?
200
RNA replaces Thymine with this nitrogenous base.
What is Uracil?
200
This enzyme is the "builder," adding new nucleotides in the 5'
to 3'
direction.
What is DNA Polymerase?
300
This term refers to the polymer name for both DNA and RNA.
What are nucleic acids?
300
This team used radioactive phosphorus and sulfur in viruses (bacteriophages) to prove DNA is the genetic code.
Who are Hershey and Chase?
300
This is the specific sugar found in the backbone of a DNA molecule.
What is deoxyribose?
300
Unlike the permanent nature of DNA, RNA is described as this, meaning it is not permanent.
What is transient?
300
These short segments of DNA are produced on the lagging strand.
What are Okazaki fragments?
400
While DNA is a nucleic acid, these are the monomers that make up proteins.
What are amino acids?
400
She used X-ray crystallography to produce "Photo 51," a crucial image of the DNA molecule.
Who is Rosalind Franklin?
400
Because DNA strands run in opposite directions (5'
to 3'
and 
3'
to 5'), they are described by this term.
What is anti-parallel?
400
This is the name of the sugar found in RNA.
What is ribose?
400
This enzyme acts like "glue," attaching all the new nucleotides together.
What is Ligase?
500
This three-step concept describes the flow of genetic information: DNA-->mRNA-->Protein.
What is the Central Dogma?
500
These two scientists used Franklin's image to build the first double-helix model of DNA in 1953.
Who are Watson and Crick?
500
These larger, double-ringed bases (A and G) must always pair with smaller, single-ringed pyrimidines.
What are purines?
500
DNA is kept safely inside this organelle to protect it from damage.
What is the nucleus?
500
Replication is called this because each new DNA molecule contains one original strand and one new strand.
What is semi-conservative?