5.1 Genetic Code Part 2 Flashcards
How do the two DNA polynucleotide chains run?
antiparallel
How do the bases lie in DNA?
on top of each other, perpindicular to the central axis, and are paired with DNA from opposite chain
How are base pairs connected?
hydrogen bonds
Which bases can pair with each other in DNA?
A and T
G and C
What keeps DNA paired but also allows it to unwind when necessary?
vast number of hydrogen bonds
What is a basic description of hydrogen bonds?
weak electrostatic interactions
What does it mean that DNA has complementarity?
specificity of the A - T and G - C bonds
How many hydrogen bonds does A and T form?
two
How many hydrogen bonds does G and C form?
three
Other than hydrogen bonding, what also stabilizes DNA?
nitrogenous bases are hydrophobic while the phosphate groups are hydrophilic
What is the product of transcribed DNA?
RNA
What are the key differences between RNA and DNA?
RNA has
1. ribose instead of deoxyribose
2. uracil instead of thymine
What are the three major classes of RNA?
messenger RNA
transfer RNA
ribosomal RNA
Which type of RNA makes up 80% of the RNA in a cell?
rRNA
What are ribosomes?
serve as a worktable for the cellular machinery of protein translation
