BIOLOGY - 10.1 to 10.6 *Open-ended questions*

Question 1

10.1: What structural feature of viruses like phage T2 made them ideally suited for the Hershey-Chase experiment?

Answer 1

Phage T2 has a very simple structure consisting of just two “ingredients” - DNA + Protein - making it easier to identify which component served as the genetic material

Question 2

10.2: Compare and Contrast DNA and RNA polynucleotides

Answer 2

Both are polymers of nucleotides consisting of just a sugar, a nitrogenous base, and a phosphate. In RNA, the sugar is ribose; in DNA, it is deoxyribose. Both RNA + DNA have the bases A, G, & C, but DNA has a T and RNA has a U

Question 3

10.3: Along one strand of a double helix is the nucleotide sequence GGCATAGGT. What is the complementary sequence for the other DNA strand?

Answer 3

CCGTATCCA

Question 4

10.4: How does complimentary base pairing make possible the replication of DNA?

Answer 4

When the two strands of the double helix separate, free nucleotides can base-pair along each strand, leading to the synthesis of new complementary strands

Question 5

10.5: What is the function of DNA polymerase in DNA replication?

Answer 5

As free nucleotides base-pair to a parental DNA strand, the enzyme DNA polymerase COVALENTLY bonds them to the 3’ end of a growing DAUGHTER STRAND

Question 6

10.6: What are the functions of transcription and translation?

Answer 6

Transcription is the transfer of information from DNA to RNA. Translation is the use of the information in RNA to make a polypeptide.