Core Terminology 1: DNA Code of Life

Question 1

Polymer

Answer 1

large, organic molecule, made up of smaller molecules called, monomers

Question 2

Monomers

Answer 2

building blocks of polymers

Question 3

Nucleic acids

Answer 3

Polymers, large organic molecules found inside cells (DNA & RNA)

Question 4

Nucleotides

Answer 4

monomers of nucleic acids, made up of 3 parts: phosphate group + pentose sugar + nitrogen base

Question 5

DNA

Answer 5

• deoxyribonucleic acid,
• occurs inside nucleus, mitochondria and chloroplasts;
• carries genetic information and controls cell metabolism

Question 6

RNA

Answer 6

• ribonucleic acid;
• found in the nucleolus, cytoplasm and ribosomes;
• plays role in protein synthesis

Question 7

Ribose

Answer 7

sugar found in RNA

Question 8

Deoxyribose

Answer 8

sugar found in DNA

Question 9

Hydrogen bond

Answer 9

weak bond between nitrogen bases

Question 10

Double helix

Answer 10

natural shape of DNA

Question 11

Genes

Answer 11

a segment of a chromosome that controls each characteristic of an organism

Question 12

Chromosome

Answer 12

a linear collection of genes made up of DNA & proteins(histones)

Question 13

Genetic code

Answer 13

the sequence of bases in DNA

Question 14

14. Genome

Answer 14

all the genes of an organism

Question 15

Amino acids

Answer 15

monomers of proteins

Question 16

Peptide bond

Answer 16

bonds between amino acids

Question 17

Dipeptide

Answer 17

two amino acids

Question 18

Tripeptide

Answer 18

3 amino acids

Question 19

Polypeptide

Answer 19

more than 3, less than 50 amino acids

Question 20

Base triplet

Answer 20

three bases that represents an amino acid on a DNA molecule

Question 21

Codon

Answer 21

three bases that represents an amino acid on a mRNA molecule

Question 22

Anti-codon

Answer 22

three bases that represents an amino acid on a tRNA molecule

Question 23

mRNA

Answer 23

• messenger RNA
• carries information on the sequence of amino acids, from the DNA in the nucleus, to the ribosomes, in the cytoplasm

Question 24

tRNA

Answer 24

• transfer RNA
• picks up amino acids in cytoplasm and transfers it to the ribosomes, for the formation of proteins

Question 25

rRNA

Answer 25

• ribosomal RNA
• helps to bind mRNA to ribosomes

Question 26

Transcription

Answer 26

process where mRNA copies the pattern for amino acids from the DNA, in the nucleus

Question 27

Translation

Answer 27

process where tRNA reads the code on the mRNA for amino acids sequence, and picks up the amino acids in the cytoplasm & transfer it to the ribosomes

Question 28

Mutation

Answer 28

change in the DNA of an organism

Question 29

DNA profiling

Answer 29

using DNA to identify people

Question 30

Non-coding DNA

Answer 30

section of a DNA molecule that never gets transcribed into mRNA and is not used in protein synthesis