4.1 DNA

Question 1

How is DNA stored in prokaryotes?

Answer 1

Short, circular, non-linear and not associated with proteins

Question 2

How is DNA stored in eukaryotes?

Answer 2

Linear, long and associated with proteins

Question 3

What composes a chromosome?

Answer 3

DNA coiled around its associated histone proteins

Question 4

Why do prokaryotes supercoil their DNA?

Answer 4

To condense it to fit in the cell

Question 5

Which organelles can contain DNA?

Answer 5

Chloroplasts, mitochondria

- Found like prokaryotic DNA

Question 6

What does a gene code for?

Answer 6

• A functional RNA (tRNA, mRNA, rRNA)

- The amino sequence of a polypeptide

Question 7

Why is the genetic code non-overlapping?

Answer 7

Every base triplet is read in sequence separately

- Read only once

Question 8

Why is the genetic code universal?

Answer 8

Same specific base triplets code for same amino acids in all living organisms

Question 9

Why is the genetic code degenerate?

Answer 9

More combinations of specific base triplets than amino acids

Some amino acids coded for by multiple base triplets