Chapter 5 - DNA <3 Flashcards
Allele
One of several possible variations of a gene.
Annealing
- The pairing of nucleotides in complementary DNA strands together by forming hydrogen bonds
- “Primer addition”
Base Pairing
- When 2 nitrogen bases in complementary strands connect to form a hydrogen bond, holding the two DNA strands together.
- Adenine (A) pairs only with Thymine (T) and Guanine (G) pairs only with Cytosine (C) in DNA.
Chromosome
- A long chain of DNA found in the nucleus of a cell
- Carries its genetic information
- Contain genes
CODIS
- Combined DNA Identification System
- Developed by the FBI to store DNA information in a searchable computer database
Complimentary DNA
a strand of DNA in which the sequence of bases matches those of another strand of DNA according to pairing rules.
Denaturation
The process of separation the two strands of DNA into individual strands
DNA
- Deoxyribonucleic acid
- The basic genetic molecule of living organisms
- Composed of repeating 3 groups: a phosphate, a deoxyribose sugar, and a nitrogen base
Enzyme
a protein that catalyzes a chemical reaction; affects the rate of a chemical reaction without being consumed by the reaction
Extension
Completing a complimentary DNA stand to form a template strand
Gel electrophoresis
- Process of separating DNA fragments based upon charge and size.
- Charged DNA fragments are placed in a gel bed and moved through the medium by applying an electric current.
- Shorter fragments move fastest through the gel and larger fragments move the slowest.
Gene
- Chunks of DNA that contribute to particular traits/functions by coding for these proteins.
- Region along the DNA strand that provides coding information for the synthesis of proteins.
Hybridization
The process of joining together complimentary stands of DNA through base-pairing
Hypervariable DNA/non-coding DNA
A region of DNA that shows a great degree of variability in a population and do not code for any known protein but may have a role in as molecular switches and play crucial roles in regulating genes.
Locus
The location of a gene on a DNA strand
Mitochondrial DNA
mtDNA; a small circle of DNA that resides outside the nucleus in the cellular mitochondria. mtDNA is only inherited from mothers and passed to all offspring.
Mutation
An inheritable change in the base sequence of DNA
Nucleotide
- The basic building block of DNA
- Consist of a phosphate, a deoxyribose sugar, and a nitrogen base.
PCR
- Polymerase chain reaction
- Laboratory method for the rapid replication of specific regions of DNA.
- Most commonly used technique of DNA testing.
Population
A specific group of people defined by geography , race, of other defining features
Restriction Enzyme
A protein that locates a specific DNA sequence and cuts the DNA stand at that location
RFLP
- restriction fragment length polymorphism
- all about exploiting DNA variations in sequences
- individuals vary in the non-coding regions!
STR
- Short tandem repeat
- Small, repeated sections of DNA that are connected to one another.
VNTR
- Variable number tandem repeat
- A region of DNA in which a larger sequence of nucleotides is repeated multiple times (up to 50 nucleotides)
Y Chromosome
The chromosome inherited only through the father and passed along only to male offspring
