Appendix A1-A3 Genetics Flashcards
gene
A length of DNA that encodes the information for constructing a particular protein. The most important thing about genes is that they are pieces of information, inherited from parents, that affect the development and function of our cells. Information carried by the genes is a very specific sort: each gene codes for the construction of a specific string of amino acids to form a protein molecule. This is all that genes do; they do not directly encode intelligence, or memories, or any other sort of complex behavior.
protein
A long string of amino acids. The basic building material of organisms. These proteins make complex behavior possible, and in that context they are also the targets upon which the forces of evolution act.
enzyme
A complicated protein whose action increases the probability of a specific chemical reaction. For example, only cells that have liver-typical proteins will look like a liver cell and be able to perform liver functions.
deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
A nucleic acid that is present in the chromosomes of cells and codes hereditary information.
nucleotide
A portion of a DNA or RNA molecule that is composed of a single base and the adjoining sugar-phosphate unit of the strand.
DNA has only four nucleotides
guanine, cytosine, thymine, and adenine (abbreviated G, C, T, and A).
hybridization
The process by which a string of nucleotides becomes linked to a complementary series of nucleotides.
chromosome
A complex of condensed strands of DNA and associated protein molecules; found in the nucleus of cells.
eukaryote
A complex of condensed strands of DNA and associated protein molecules; found in the nucleus of cells.
cell nucleus
The spherical central structure of a cell that contains the chromosomes.
ribonucleic acid (RNA)
A nucleic acid that implements information found in DNA.
transcription
The process during which mRNA forms bases complementary to a strand of DNA. The resulting message (called a transcript) is then used to translate the DNA code into protein molecules
messenger RNA (mRNA)
A strand of RNA that carries the code of a section of a DNA strand to the cytoplasm.
transcript
The mRNA strand that is produced when a stretch of DNA is “read.”
ribosomes
Structures in the cell body where genetic information is translated to produce proteins.
translation
The process by which amino acids are linked together (directed by an mRNA molecule) to form protein molecules.
codon
A set of three nucleotides that uniquely encodes one particular amino acid.
peptide
A short string of amino acids. Longer strings of amino acids are called proteins.
genome
Also called genotype. All the genetic information that one specific individual has inherited.
expression
The process by which a cell makes an mRNA transcript of a particular gene.
cell differentiation
The developmental stage in which cells acquire distinctive characteristics, such as those of neurons, as the result of expressing particular genes.
clones
Asexually produced organisms that are genetically identical.
DNA sequencing
The process by which the order of nucleotides in a gene, or amino acids in a protein, is determined.
Chromosomes
23 pairs, contain our genes, one from each parent





