Chapter 10: Biochemistry of the Genome Flashcards
Heredity
The passage of traits from one generation to the next.
Chromosomal Theory of Inheritance
Identified chromosomes as the genetic material responsible for Mendelian inheritance.
Jumping Genes/Transposons
Mobile segments of DNA that can move within the genome of an organism; they can regulate gene expression, protein expression, and virulence (ability to cause disease).
One Gene-One Enzyme Hypothesis
Suggested that each gene encodes one enzyme.
Bacterial Transformation
A process in which external DNA is taken up by a cell, thereby changing its characteristics.
Nucleic Acids
Composed of monomers, called nucleotides, which are polymerized to form large strands.
Base Sequence
Responsible for carrying and retaining the hereditary information in a cell.
Deoxyribonucleotides
Nucleotides that compose DNA.
Deoxyribose
A five-carbon sugar.
Nitrogenous Base
A nitrogen-containing ring structure that is responsible for complementary base paring between nucleic acid strands.
Nucleoside
Comprises the five-carbon sugar and nitrogenous base.
Purines
Adenine and guanine; have a double-ring structure with a six-carbon ring fused to a five-carbon ring.
Pyrimidines
Cytosine, and thymine; are smaller nitrogenous bases that have only a six-carbon ring structure.
Phosphodiester Bonds
Linkages whereby the phosphate group attached to the 5’ carbon of the sugar of one nucleotide bonds to the hydroxyl group of the 3’ carbon of the sugar of the next nucleotide.
Sugar-Phosphate Backbone
The alternating sugar-phosphate structure composing the framework of a nucleic acid strand made of phosphodiester bonds.
DNA Denaturation
Exposing two DNA strands of the double helix to high temperatures or to certain chemicals can break the hydrogen bonds between complementary bases, thus separating the strands into two separate single strands of DNA.
DNA Denaturation
Exposing two DNA strands of the double helix to high temperatures or to certain chemicals can break the hydrogen bonds between complementary bases, thus separating the strands into two separate single strands of DNA.
DNA Denaturation
Exposing two DNA strands of the double helix to high temperatures or to certain chemicals can break the hydrogen bonds between complementary bases, thus separating the strands into two separate single strands of DNA.
Vertical Gene Transfer
The transmission of genetic information from mother to daughter cells and occurs through the process of DNA replication.
Ribonucleic Acid (RNA)
Shorter and typically single stranded; perform a variety of roles in the cell but mainly involved in the process of protein synthesis (translation) and its regulation.
Riboucleotides
Make up RNA; contain ribose (pentose sugar), one of the four nitrogenous bases (A, U, G, and C), and a phosphate group.
Uracil
RNA-specific pyrimidine; forms a complementary base pair with adenine and is used instead of the thymine used in DNA.
Genes
Segments of DNA molecules; contain the instructional code necessary for synthesizing various proteins, enzymes, or stable RNA molecules.
Genotype
The full collection of genes that a cell contains within its genome.
Constitutive Genes/ Housekeeping Genes
Genes that are always expressed.
Phenotype
The set of genes being expressed at any given point in time determines the cell’s activities and its observable characteristics.
DNA Supercoiling
Refers to the process by which DNA is twisted to fit inside the cell.
Topoisomerase
Enzymes that help maintain the structure of supercoiled chromosomes, preventing overwinding of DNA during certain cellular processes like DNA replication.
DNA Packaging
DNA-binding proteins called histones perform various levels of DNA wrapping and attachment to scaffolding protiens.
Chromatin
Combination of DNA and histones.
Epigenetics
The influence of environmental factors on DNA packaging.
DNA Gyrase
A type of topoisomerase, found in bacteria and some archaea, that helps prevent the overwinding of DNA.
Noncoding DNA
Regions of DNA that do not encode proteins or stable RNA products.
Intergenic Regions
DNA sequences located between genes.
Extrachromosomal DNA
Additional molecules of DNA outside the chromosomes that are also part of its genomes.
Plasmids
Prokaryotes have smaller loops of DNA that may contain on or a few genes not essential for normal growth.
Horizontal Gene Transfer (HGT)
When bacteria exchange plasmids with other bacteria.
