Chapter 8 - Genetic testing - Restriction Enzymes and DNA Fingerprinting Fit

Question 1

Palindromes in DNA sequences

Answer 1

Genetic palindromes are similar to verbal palindromes. A palindromic sequence in DNA is one in which the 5’ to 3’ base pair sequence is identical on both strands (the 5’ and 3’ ends refers to the chemical structure of the DNA).

Question 2

HaeIII

Answer 2

HaeIII is a restriction enzyme that searches the DNA molecule until it finds this sequence of four nitrogen bases.

Once the recognition site is found HaeIII can go to work cutting (cleaving) the DNA

Question 3

blunt ends

Answer 3

both strands are of equal length – i.e. they end at the same base position, leaving no unpaired bases on either strand.

Question 4

sticky ends

Answer 4

one strand is longer than the other (typically by at least a few nucleotides), such that the longer strand has bases which are left unpaired.