Vocab
This is the major enzyme used during protein synthesis to unwind the DNA molecule
What is DNA helicase?
This is where translation occurs
What is 'in the cytoplasm at a ribosome?'
These pieces of a gene are considered to be functional/coding portions of the gene and are spliced together during RNA processing
What are exons?
These pieces of a gene are considered to be 'non-functional' and are spliced out during RNA processing
What are introns?
This is where transcription occurs
What is 'in the nucleus?'
This is the process of turning a photocopy of a gene into a protein
What is translation?
These structures are responsible for holding together the two pieces of the ribosome
What are molecules of rRNA?
This is the process of copying a gene from a DNA strand to a piece of RNA
What is transcription?
This is the central dogma of biology:
What is 'DNA --> RNA --> Proteins?'
The largest protein structure used by humans is approximately _________________ amino acids in length
What is '27,000 amino acids?'
This is another term for the process of protein synthesis
What is 'gene expression/central dogma of biology?'
This organelle is used during protein synthesis to actually build proteins
What are ribosomes?
On the board, write the complementary RNA sequence for the following DNA strand: TAT CGG CGA AAA ATC
What is 'AUA GCC GCU UUU UAG'
This is the definition of 'dogma' and why it applies to this unit:
What is 'dogma refers to a universal truth; it is used in this unit because in biology, there is a universal truth that states that all living organism express their genes by going DNA --> RNA --> Proteins?'
This is the definition of a primary protein
What is 'a polypeptide chain that is less than 100 amino acids in length?'
Briefly explain what happens during 'RNA processing' and where this occurs:
What is 'the non-coding sections of the gene (introns) are removed and the coding/functional sections of the gene (exons) are spliced together; occurs in the nucleus?'
List the two structures that can form to create a secondary protein
What are 1) alpha helix or 2) beta pleated sheet?
What is 'anti-codons are found on pieces of tRNA and they are used to allow tRNA to grab the correct amino acids from the cytoplasm?'
In your own words, explain the relationship between nucleic acids and proteins during the process of gene expression
What is 'in the process of expressing genes, all organisms turn the written instructions (encoded in the nucleic acid/DNA) into actual products (by building proteins) - in other words, the DNA contains the instructions instructions but the proteins do the actual work to produce an observable trait?'
What is 'by chemically joining two or more secondary protein structures?'
List the full name for all types of RNA (full name, not just letters) and all major enzymes discussed for protein synthesis
What are '1) messenger RNA, 2) ribosomal RNA and 3) transfer RNA; 1) DNA helicase, and 2) RNA Polymerase?'
Why do we think that the end product of gene expression has evolved to always be a protein?
What is 'because proteins can take on many complex shapes and are the most structurally diverse of all the biomolecules?'
List the five major facts about genetic code that we discussed in class
What is 'Genetic code is: 1) redundant, 2) universal, 3) lacks punctuation, 4) broken up into codons that code for amino acids, and 5) has directionality?'
This is how the codon chart shows us redundancy in genetic code and why this is a good thing:
What is 'multiple codons code for the same amino acid; this is a good thing because it reduces the chances of a mistake or a miscommunication (which means the wrong amino acid is added to the chain)?'
Compare and contrast the use of enzymes versus RNA in 1) DNA replication versus 2) protein synthesis:
What is 'in 1) DNA replication, very little RNA is used (just to build RNA primers) but many enzymes are used to build new DNA molecules; in 2) protein synthesis, very few enzymes are used (Helicase, RNA polymerase) and a lot of RNA is used (mRNA, tRNA, rRNA) in order to build proteins?'