The Blueprint (DNA & Packaging)
This rule states that in a double-stranded DNA molecule, the amount of Adenine equals Thymine and Cytosine equals Guanine.
Chargaff’s Rules
Transcription occurs in this direction along the newly synthesized RNA strand.
5’ to 3’
This type of covalent bond links the carboxyl group of one amino acid to the amino group of the next.
Peptide bond
This level of protein structure is defined solely by the linear sequence of amino acids.
Primary structure
This is the primary source of all new genetic variation in a population.
Mutation
If a DNA sample contains 20% Cytosine, this is the percentage of Adenine present
30% Adenine
This specific DNA strand is read by RNA polymerase and is complementary to the resulting mRNA transcript.
Template strand (or antisense strand)
This is the specific sequence of three nucleotides on a tRNA that base-pairs with an mRNA codon.
Anticodon
Alpha-helices and beta-pleated sheets are stabilized by this type of bond between the polypeptide backbone.
Hydrogen bonds
Bonus: What type of structure involves alpha-helices and beta-pleated sheets?
Which group has higher evolutionary fitness?
Light Lizards
This is the basic unit of DNA packaging, consisting of DNA wound around a core of eight histone proteins.
Nucleosome, "beads on a string"
These non-coding sequences are removed from the pre-mRNA transcript during RNA splicing.
Introns
Proteins destined for the endomembrane system or secretion typically begin with this N-terminal sequence.
Signal sequence (or signal peptide)
Tertiary structure is primarily determined by interactions between these parts of the amino acids.
R-groups (or side chains)
This type of selection increases the frequency of a beneficial allele that enhances an organism's fitness.
Positive Selection
These functional groups are found at the 5’ and 3’ ends of a DNA strand, respectively, providing directionality.
Phosphate (5’) and Hydroxyl (3’) groups
Bonus: What type of bonds form between nucleotides that link RNA and DNA molecules?
This modification is added to the 3’ end of mRNA to protect it from degradation and assist in nuclear export.
Poly-A tail
Bonus: What modification is added to the 5' end of mRNA?
This site in the ribosome holds the tRNA carrying the growing polypeptide chain.
P site (Peptidyl site)
An amino acid has an R-group containing a hydroxyl group (OH), is it hydrophobic or hydrophilic?
Hydrophilic
If a specific allele provides a significant advantage in "differential reproductive success," a biologist would predict that over several generations, the frequency of this allele in the population will undergo this specific change.
Increase
Unlike eukaryotes, which isolate their linear chromosomes within a membrane-bound nucleus to separate transcription from translation, prokaryotes contain their circular genome in this "region," allowing for the coupled and near-simultaneous synthesis of RNA and protein.
Nucleoid
This complex of RNA and proteins is responsible for recognizing splice sites and catalyzing the removal of introns.
Spliceosome
This cytosolic complex recognizes the signal peptide and halts translation until the ribosome is docked on the Rough ER. It ensures membrane proteins are properly inserted and secreted proteins are transported out of the cell by binding to the signal peptide.
Signal Recognition Particle (SRP)
This specific interaction occurs when non-polar R-groups cluster together in the center of a protein to avoid water.
Hydrophobic effect (or hydrophobic interaction)
If a sudden cold snap occurs in a forest, the environment is doing this to the pre-existing variation already present in the population.
Selecting/acting upon