D1.1 SL / HL Flashcards
zygote
fertilized egg cell that results from the union of a female gamete (egg, or ovum) with a male gamete (sperm)
DNA replication
the process by which a cell copies its DNA before dividing so that each new cell has an identical copy of the original DNA
Polymer
any of a class of natural or synthetic substances composed of very large molecules, called macromolecules, which are multiples of simpler chemical units called monomers
condensation reaction
a chemical reaction that joins two molecules together to form a larger molecule, while also releasing a smaller molecule, usually water
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)
the molecule that carries genetic information for the development and functioning of an organism. DNA is made of two linked strands that wind around each other to resemble a twisted ladder — a shape known as a double helix
Monomer
a small molecule or atom that bonds with other monomers to form larger, more complex structures called polymers
Nucleotides
an organic molecule that serves as the basic building block of nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA
phosphate group
a chemical group made up of a phosphorus atom bonded to four oxygen atoms, with a net negative charge
pentose
a simple sugar, or monosaccharide, with five carbon atoms in its molecular structure
nitrogenous base
an organic molecule that contains nitrogen and carbon atoms in a ring structure, and acts as a base in chemical reactions
Adenine (A)
Apurinederivative, it is paired withthyminein double-stranded DNA
Thymine (T)
Apyrimidinederivative, it is paired withadeninein double-stranded DNA
Cytosine (C)
Apyrimidinederivative, it is paired withguaninein double-stranded DNA
Guanine (G)
Apurinederivative, it is paired withcytosinein double-stranded DNA
Uracil (U)
In RNA, uracil pairs with adenine. In a DNA molecule, the nucleotidethymine(T) is used in place of uracil
Double standard DNA (ds DNA)
a biological molecule made up of two polynucleotide chains that are twisted into a right-handed helix
5’–>3’
describes the directionality of the DNA molecule
anti-parallel
two biopolymers run parallel to each other but in opposite directions.This is an important characteristic of DNA, where the two strands of the double helix run antiparallel to each other
double helix
a pair of parallelhelicesintertwinedabout a common axis, especially that in the structure of the DNAmolecule
base pair (bp)
a unit of two nitrogenous bases that pair together to form the structure of DNA or RNA
hydrogen bonds (H-bonds)
a type of electrostatic attraction that occurs when a hydrogen atom is covalently bonded to an electronegative atom, such as nitrogen, oxygen, or fluorine, and is then attracted to another electronegative atom
complementary base pairing
the manner in which thenitrogenous basesof the DNA molecules align with each other
Semi-conservative replication
the process by which a new DNA molecule is created using one original strand of DNA as a template, along with one new strand.This process produces two identical copies of the original DNA molecule, each with one original strand and one new strand
DNA polymerase
an enzyme that creates new copies of DNA, or nucleic acid molecules, during DNA replication
Helicase
an enzyme that separates double-stranded DNA into single strands
replication fork
a Y-shaped region where the parent DNA double helix splits into two strands, subsequently copied
Topoisomerase
an essential enzyme that catalyzes the ATP-dependent negative super-coiling of double-stranded closed-circular DNA
DNA template strand
the strand of DNA that does not directly code for a protein but complementarily pairs with the code so it can be used as a template upon which to build mRNA with the correct code
complementary DNA stand
either of the two chains that make up a double helix of DNA, with corresponding positions on the two chains being composed of a pair ofcomplementary bases
leading strand
The DNA strand that is synthesized continuously, in the 5′ to 3′ direction, towards the replication fork during the discontinuous replication of duplex DNA
lagging strand
one of two strands of DNA found at the replication fork, or junction, in the double helix; the other strand is called the leading strand
RNA Primers
a short segment of single-stranded RNA used as a binding site for DNA polymerase to initiate DNA replication
Free nucleotides
molecules that are the building blocks of DNA and RNA, and are involved in many aspects of metabolism
deoxyribonucleotide triphosphate (dNTPs)
nucleotides used as the building blocks and energy source for deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
phosphodiester bond
a covalent linkage that forms between the phosphate group of one nucleotide and the hydroxyl group of another nucleotide
Forensics
the application of biological sciences to legal investigations, such as crime scenes, to provide scientific evidence for courts
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
a laboratory technique for rapidly producing (amplifying) millions to billions of copies of a specific segment of DNA
Amplify
a process that creates multiple copies of a nucleic acid molecule or a chromosomal region
Taq polymerase
a heat-stable enzyme that copies DNA and is a key component of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique
DNA Primers
short sequences of DNA that are used to identify specific parts of a genome, such as a gene, or to copy pieces of DNA
Denaturation
the process by which a protein or nucleic acid’s molecular structure is altered
Annealing
the process of joining two complementary strands of DNA or RNA together to form a double-stranded helix through hydrogen bonding
Elongation
refers to the state, act, or process of lengthening
Gel electrophoresis
a laboratory technique that separates molecules like DNA, RNA, or proteins by size and charge
agarose gel
a three-dimensional matrix used in biology to separate, identify, or purify nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA
anode
an electrode where oxidation occurs, or the loss of electrons
endonucleases (restriction enzymes)
bacterial enzymes that cut DNA at specific sequences.They are a key component of DNA manipulation techniques and are used in many biological labs, including molecular biology, biochemistry, and genetic engineering
fluorescent dye
a compound that emits colored light when exposed to a specific wavelength of light
micropipette
a laboratory instrument used to precisely measure and transfer small amounts of liquid, typically in microliters
ladder
also known as a molecular size marker or standardDNA marker, is a solution containing DNA fragments of varying lengths and sizes that serves as a reference in estimating the size of unknown DNA molecules after they are separated by agarose or acrylamide gel electrophoresis
DNA profiling
a biological technique that compares DNA samples to identify similarities and determine an individual’s DNA characteristics
DNA fingerprinting
a laboratory technique used to determine the probable identity of a person based on the nucleotide sequences of certain regions of human DNA that are unique to individuals
paternity test
a test especially of DNA or genetic traits to determine whether a given man could be the biological father of a given child
