Ch. 21: RNA Synthesis, Processing, and Gene Silencing Flashcards
RNA
A biochemical polymer that consists of 4 nucleotides: A, U, C, G
Which nucleotide is present in DNA and not RNA?
Thymine
What type of structure does RNA prefer?
Secondary structure
What kind of bonds can RNA make?
- RNA can bind to itself: RNA:RNA
- RNA can base pair with DNA to make RNA-DNA hybrids (Important in translation)
What are the three main types of RNA?
- mRNA
- tRNA
- rRNA
What is mRNA?
mRNA is messenger RNA (aka carrier RNA)
What is the role of mRNA?
To carry protein information from the DNA in a cell’s nucleus to the cell’s cytoplasm
What is rRNA?
rRNA is ribosomal RNA, and it is the major constituent of ribosomes
What is tRNA?
tRNA is transfer RNA, and it is the adaptor molecules that connects transcription to translation
What is the role of tRNA?
It serves as an adaptor between the genetic instructions written in nucleic acid sequences and the protein products encoded in genes.
What are the coding portions of DNA?
Exons
What are the NON-coding regions of DNA?
Introns
What are introns?
Sequences that interrupt RNA that must be removed from the precursor mRNA for transcription and translation to occur
Splicesomes
Huge, multimegadalton ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes found in eukaryotic nuclei
Where do splicesomes assemble?
On the RNA Pol III transcripts, where they excise introns and splice together exons
Is the coding sequencing continuous or discontinuous?
Discontinuous
In eukaryotic mRNA processing, what happens to the 5’ and 3’ ends?
- The 5’ end is capped with 7-methyl-guanylate (5’ cap)
- The 3’ end is extended by a poly A tail
What direction does mRNA synthesis occur?
5’ to 3’ direction
What does RNA polymerase do?
It unwinds DNA during the synthesis of RNA to create a transcription bubble that contains the enzyme and an RNA:DNA hybrid that is 8 base pairs long
What is used as a template for the synthesis of a complementary strand of DNA?
A single strand of DNA
Prokaryotic Transcription
Occurs in 3 phases:
1. Initiation
2. Elongation
3. Termination
Initiation (Prokaryotes)
Binding of the RNA polymerase to the sigma factor
Elongation (Prokaryotes)
Dissociation of the Rho factor from RNA polymerase complex; RNA-DNA helix separates; involves Mg ions