RNA Basic
What is the name of the process where a DNA sequence is copied into a complementary RNA molecule?
Transcription
The genetic code is read in three-letter "words" called what?
Codons
In prokaryotes, what is a set of genes regulated together called?
Operon
What is the term for a mutation that involves a change in a single nucleotide base?
Point Mutation
What is the term for the process by which DNA, RNA, and proteins put genetic information into action in a living cell?
Gene expression
What enzyme is responsible for synthesizing RNA during transcription?
RNA Polymerase
What is the final product of the central dogma?
Proteins
In the lac operon, what molecule is needed to deactivate the repressor?
Lactose
A mutation that reverses the direction of a part of a chromosome is called an ________.
Inversion
What is the name for master control genes that regulate the development of body structures in organisms?
Homeotic genes or Hox genes
Transcribe the following DNA template strand into an mRNA sequence:
T A C G G C T A A C T A
A U G C C G A U U G A U
What are the two main functional components that make up a ribosome
Ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and Proteins
What is the name of the short DNA sequence found in eukaryotes that helps position RNA polymerase?
TATA Box
What type of point mutation will NOT cause a frameshift?
Substitution
Besides the genetic code itself, what other factors can influence gene expression?
Environmental factors
What are the three key differences between RNA and DNA?
(1) RNA has ribose sugar, DNA has deoxyribose
(2) RNA is single-stranded, DNA is double-stranded
(3) RNA contains uracil, DNA contains thymine.
What is the role of the tRNA in protein synthesis?
It transfers the correct amino acid to the ribosome.
In the lac operon, the repressor protein is coded for by a gene called the lacI gene, which is not part of the operon itself. If a mutation caused the lacI gene to produce a non-functional repressor protein, what would what happen to the operon?
It would be constantly turned on/transcribed.
A certain point mutation changes a single DNA base but results in an identical amino acids compared to the normal protein. Where did the mutation most likely occur in the codon, and what is the name of that type of mutation?
Last letter of the codon; silent mutation
The remarkable similarity of Hox genes across different animal species suggests what about their evolutionary history?
It suggests a common ancestry and that nearly all animals share the same basic genetic tools for building the body.
The central dogma is stated as DNA → RNA → Protein. However, the process of transcription in eukaryotes involves going from DNA to a pre-mRNA that contains introns and exons, and then to a final mRNA. Which specific molecular process explains why the "RNA" in the central dogma is not a direct copy of the DNA template?
RNA Splicing/Editing
What are the codon that translate into STOP?
UAA, UAG, and UGA
When is the lac operon sent into overdrive?
In the presence of lactose and the absence of glucose.
Why are mutations crucial for the long-term survival of a species?
They are the source of genetic variability, which is necessary for evolution.
Hox genes are described as "master control genes" that are arranged in the same head-to-tail order in the DNA of diverse animals, from fruit flies to humans. What does this specific conservation of gene order suggest about the fundamental mechanism by which these genes control embryonic development?
physical location on the chromosome is directly linked to their function in specifying body regions from head to tail.