Biochemistry - Nucleic Acids Flashcards
Does DNA leave the nucleus?
No. Slide 5
What happens after transcription?
Pre-mRNA is processed through splicing to produce mRNA which leaves through the nucleic pore. Slide 5
What are nucleotides made up from?
Base, sugar, phosphate. Slide 6
What is attached to C1’?
Base. Slide 6
What is attached to C5’?
The phosphate. Slide 6
What is so important about C3’?
It always has an OH group on it in a nucleotide, as this is where the phosphate binds. Slide 6
What bases are purines?
Adenine and guanine. Slide 7
What bases are pyrimidines
Cytosine, thymine and uracil. Slide 7
Which molecules are bigger? Purines or pyrimidines?
Purines - short name, larger molecule. Slide 7
What is a nucleoside?
A base linked to a sugar. Slide 8
What are the nucleoside names of the 5 bases?
Adenosine, cytidine, guanosine, thymidine, uridine. Slide 8
What are the DNA building blocks?
dATP, dCTP, dGTP, dTTP
e.g. deoxy-adenosine-triphosphate. Slide 8
What are the RNA building blocks?
ATP, CTP, GTP, UTP
e.g. uracil-triphosphate. Slide 8
Where is the phosphodiester bond formed to replicate the DNA?
Between the free 3’ OH group and a 5’ triphosphate. Slide 9
Why is it called a phosphodiester bond?
C - O - P - O - C. Slide 11
What happens to the building blocks when they’re to be added to the free 3’ end?
Two phosphates are cleaved off leaving it to become a monophosphate and is added to the 3’ OH group. Slide 9
What happens to the pyrophosphate ion?
It is broken down into 2 phosphate ions releasing energy and driving the reaction. Slide 9
Why is there energy released from the pyrophosphate?
Each molecule is charged, so repel each other. Slide 10
Why do nucleotide analogues work as drugs?
They are incorporated into the growing DNA of the virus and on the 3’C there is no OH group but a different group. This means chain elongation is terminated so it cannot grow anymore. Slide 12
Why do nucleotide analogues not kill humans?
Viruses reverse transcriptase have a higher affinity for the nucleotide analogues used than human DNA polymerase. Slide 12
How many H bonds are between adenosine and thymine?
2 H bonds. Slide 13
How many H bonds are between guanine and cytosine?
3 H bonds. Slide 13
Why does one pyrimidine and one purine pair?
There isn’t enough space for two purines, too large. Slide 13
What does DNA polymerase require to start?
RNA primer. Slide 14
What is special about replication in eukaryotes?
Many origins of replication and is bidirectional. Slide 15
What does the DNA bubble do?
Allows there to be 4 points of DNA replication in that one origin so it’ll be replicated faster. Slide 15
Do all origins of replication start at the same time?
No. Slide 15
Which end are nucleotides added to?
To the free 3’ end. Slide 16
Which is the leading strand and which is the lagging?
Leading = 3' -5' Lagging = 5' -3'. Slide 16
What happens during replication of the lagging strand?
Can only be replicated in 3’ to 5’ fashion so it is replicated in fragments called okazaki fragments and then sealed together. Slide 16
What does exonuclease activity allow DNA polymerase to do?
Acts as proof reading, so if in incorrect nucleotide has been placed, then DNA polymerase removes it and this improves error rate. Slide 34
Since RNA is single stranded, what is its classic form?
Stretches of intramolecular base-pairing in stem-loops, the loop is formed by unpaired nucleotides. Slide 35
What are the 3 classes of RNA?
mRNA, tRNA and rRNA. Slide 35
What are the 2 most stable RNA molecules?
rRNA and tRNA. Slide 35