8.1Genes and genetic code Flashcards
1
Q
What is a gene
A
A section of DNA that contains the coded information for making polypeptides and functional RNA
2
Q
What is a homologous pair
A
A pair of chromosomes which carry the same gene, one from the female gamete and one from the male gamete.
3
Q
What is the locus
A
The position of a gene on a chromosome
4
Q
What does a gene code for
A
a polypeptide or fRNA
5
Q
What does each triplet/codon code for
A
An amino acid
6
Q
The code can described with 3 keywords, what are they?
A
- Degenerate
- Non-overlapping
- Universal
7
Q
What does degenerate mean
A
- Most amino acids are coded for by more than one triplet
8
Q
What does non-overlapping mean
A
- Each base is part of just one triplet and ‘read’ only once
9
Q
What does universal mean
A
- Each triplet codes for the same amino acid in all organisms.
(This is indirect evidence for evolution)
