Biochemistry - Nucleic Acids

Question 1

What are Nucleic acids?

Answer 1

Molecules for storing cell information and determining inherited characteristics in organisms.

Question 2

What does the structure of a nucleotide encode?

Answer 2

Information needed to synthesise all proteins in organisms.

Question 3

What are polynucleotides?

Answer 3

Polymer chains made from repeating nucleotide units.

Question 4

Structure of a nucleotide?

Answer 4

Consists of a phosphate group attached to a nucleotide.

Also consists of a nitrogenous organic base attached to a sugar residue.

Question 5

What are the two types of nucleic acid?

Answer 5

Deoxyribonucleic acid

Ribonucleic acid

Question 6

What is the different residue between ribonucleic acids and deoxyribonucleic acids?

Answer 6

DNA has deoxyribose

RNA has ribose.

Question 7

What is DNA’s 4 different nitrogenous bases?

Answer 7

Adenine, Guanine, Cytosine, Thymine.

Question 8

What replaces thymine in RNA?

Answer 8

Uracil.

Question 9

What are pyramidines? With examples?

Answer 9

Single nitrogen containing ring structure - Cytosine, thymine uracil.

Question 10

What are purines? With examples?

Answer 10

Two fused nitrogen containing ring structure - Adenine, guanine.

Question 11

What’s the DNA structure?

Answer 11

Two polynucleotide chains twisted into a double helix.

Question 12

What is the DNA backbone?

Answer 12

Nucleic acids have a backbone of alternating phosphate and sugar groups from which nitrogenous bases protect.

Question 13

What makes a nucleoside?

Answer 13

Nitrogenous base + sugar

Question 14

What makes a nucleotide?

Answer 14

Nucleoside and phosphate.

Question 15

Why does A bind to T and C bind to G? What is the term for the reason?

Answer 15

Due to shapes and partial charges on molecules.

This restriction is called complimentary base pairing.

Question 16

What’s the structure of DNA?

Answer 16

2 strands of a polynucleotide chain held together by hydrogen bonds between complementary bases. Result in a double helix.

Question 17

How is hereditary information passed onto the next generation?

Answer 17

DNA makes exact copies of itself.

Question 18

When are copies of DNA made?

Answer 18

During cell division.

Question 19

What’s the genome?

Answer 19

Genetic code of an organism.

Question 20

Where is genetic info stored?

Answer 20

Stored in DNA as base pairs.

Question 21

Where is DNA packaged?

Answer 21

In chromosomes.

Question 22

Where are chromosomes?

Answer 22

In nucleus of each cell.

Question 23

True or false? Sections of genetic code are switched on or off depending on the type and function of the cells?

Answer 23

True.

Question 24

How does complimentary base pairing allow replication to take place?

Answer 24

Double helix of DNA unzips, revealing unpaired bases.

Free nucleotides in the cell then pair with these bases forming an identical to the original.

Question 25

What are nitrogenous bases joined by?

Answer 25

Hydrogen bonds.

Question 26

Define RNA.

Answer 26

Single stranded molecule that is formed from transcription of DNA.

Question 27

What's the difference between nucleotides in DNA replication and transcription?

Answer 27

replication - Deoxyribonucleotides involved. | transcription - Ribonucleotides involved.

Question 28

Where does the messanger RNA go and to do what?

Answer 28

Messanger RNA moves out of the nucleus and attaches to a ribosome.

Question 29

When are proteins assembled?

Answer 29

During translation.

Question 30

What is RNA's code deciphered into? By what?

Answer 30

Peptide chain (proteins primary structure). By tRNA molecules,

Question 31

What is the basic structure of a protein?

Answer 31

Amino acid chain linked by peptide bonds.

Question 32

How many naturally occurring amino acids?

Answer 32

Around 20 naturally occurring amino acids.

Question 33

What is an amino acid codon?

Answer 33

A three base sequence.

Question 34

How many triplet codes can be made from 4 bases?

Answer 34

64 triplet codes. (Just 4 to the power of 3)

Question 35

True or false? Amino acids can't be encoded for by more then one triplet codon.

Answer 35

False. They can and this is why we call genetic code the term 'degenerate'.

Question 36

WOOOHOOO?!!!!!??!!!"

Answer 36

YEEAAHH BAAAABBYYY!!!!

Question 37

How many codons act as stop signals for protein - synthesis?

Answer 37

3

Question 38

Protein synthesis = translation | Codon = triplet codon.

Answer 38

They're the same thing.

Question 39

What is the process of protein synthesis?

Answer 39

1. One end of mRNA attaches to a ribososme 2. Ribosome moves along mRNA three bases at a time. 3. tRNA binds to free amino acids in the cytoplasm. 4. tRNA molecules each carry a specific amino acid. 5. They also have their own triplet code which bonds to the corresponding triplet code. 6. mRNA determines the order of the amino acids.

Question 40

Timothy! Fetch me my wine!!

Answer 40

Suck on the testicles I shall present shortly old boy!!

Question 41

Free blue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 41

BLUE!