Nucleic Acids
What is the function of DNA?
Storing and transmitting genetic information, including instructions for building proteins.
What is the central dogma?
DNA is used to make RNA, and RNA makes proteins (DNA -> RNA -> Proteins)
What is the result of transcribing this DNA strand? ATC - GGA - TCT
UAG - CCU - AGA
What is the sequence of three nitrogen bases on a tRNA molecule called?
Nucleotides, the monomers of nucleic acids, are made up of what three parts?
A phosphate group, a sugar, and a nitrogen(ous) base
What happens during transcription?
DNA is used as a template to make mRNA
What are the amino acids that will be produced from this DNA strand? GGT - AAA - CTG
Pro - Phe - Asp
What enzyme unwinds DNA during replication and transcription?
Helicase
There are three main types of RNA used in protein synthesis. What is the FULL NAME of these three types?
Messenger RNA, Transfer RNA, and Ribosomal RNA
What are three structural differences between DNA and RNA?
DNA is double-stranded, while RNA is single-stranded; DNA has a deoxyribose sugar, while RNA has a ribose sugar; and DNA has the bases ATCG, while RNA has the bases AUCG
What happens during translation?
mRNA is used to join together amino acids and make a protein.
GTA - CAT - AAT
What enzyme adds complimentary bases to form an mRNA strand during transcription?
RNA Polymerase
Adenine and guanine are purines, while cytosine and thymine are pyrimidines.
What molecule aids in translation by reading codons and bringing the correct amino acid to the ribosome? Must state the FULL NAME of this molecule.
Transfer RNA (tRNA)
Transcription happens in the nucleus, while translation happens at the ribosomes in the cytoplasm.
A tRNA molecule has the anticodon AGG. What amino acid does it carry?
Serine (Ser)
What enzyme adds complimentary bases to a template strand of DNA during DNA replication?
DNA Polymerase
What are four possible outcomes of a DNA mutation on a protein?
The protein could have a changed amino acid; it could be shortened (premature stop codon) or made longer (additional codons); or it could stay the exact same (no change in amino acid).
Messenger RNA (mRNA)
Amino acids
Transcribe and translate the healthy and mutated DNA strands provided by Ms. Parke. What is the effect of the mutation on the final protein?
The mutated protein has a valine where it should have a glutamic acid.
Point mutations occur when a base is changed (e.g. from A to C). Insertions/deletions occur when bases are added or subtracted (so the total # of bases changes).
In your codon chart, you can see that several different codons can code for the same amino acid (this is called redundancy). What is an advantage of redundancy?
Redundancy reduces the chance that a mutation results in the addition of a different amino acid.