B6: DNA Flashcards
What does DNA stand for?
Deoxyribonucleic acid
= the chemical that all of the genetic material in a cell is made up from - determining what inherited characteristics you have.
What does DNA contain?
Coded information - all the instructions to put an organism together and make it work.
Where is DNA found?
In the nucleus of animal and plant cells, in really long structures called chromosomes (which normally come in pairs).
What is the structure of DNA?
DNA is a polymer. It’s made up of two strands coiled together in the shape of a double helix.
What is a gene? What do they do?
A small section of DNA found on a chromosome.
Each gene codes for a specific sequence of amino acids which are put together to make a specific protein.
How many amino acids are used?
Only 20, but they make up thousands of different proteins.
What does DNA determine?
What proteins the cell produces eg. haemoglobin, keratin
That in turn determines what type of cell it is eg. Red blood cell, skin cell
What is a genome?
The entire set of genetic material of an organism.
Why is understanding the genome such an important tool for science and medicine?
Scientists can identify genes linked to diseases -> possible treatments
Can trace migration of certain populations
