Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) Flashcards
Transformation
Process in which bacterial cells take up recombinant plasmid DNA.
Nucleotide
A subunit of nucleic acid formed from a simple sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogeneous base.
Double helix
Twisted-ladder shape of DNA, formed by two nucleotide strands twisted around each other.
Semiconservative replication
Method of DNA replication in which parental strands separate, act as templates, and produce molecules of DNA with one parental DNA strand and one new DNA strand.
DNA polymerase
Enzyme that catalyzes synthesis of new DNA molecules.
Histone
Any of a group of basic proteins found in chromatin.
Bacteriophage
-Viruses that infect bacteria
- Composed of proteins that encapsulate a DNA or RNA genome
- May have structures that are either simple or elaborate
The role of DNA
Storing Information
Copy Information
Transmitting Information
Sex linked traits
Genes that come from one of the sex chromosomes. (X or Y chromosome.)
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid
- A nucleic acid made up of nucleotides joined into long strands.
Building blocks of nucleic acids
Nucleotides are building blocks of nucleic acids
* 3 basic components:
5 carbon sugar (deoxyribose)
phosphate group
nitrogenous base
Nitrogeneous bases
Bases that contain nitrogen
* Adenine, guanine, thymine, cytosine (A,G, T, C)
* Nucleotides are joined by covalent bonds between the sugar of one nucleotide and the phosphate of the next
* Nitrogenous bases stick out sideways from the chain
* Can join in any order that the bases make possible
Anti-Parallel Strand
- The 2 strands of DNA run in opposite directions
- Enables the nitrogenous bases to come in contact in the center of the molecule
- Also allows each strand to carry a sequence of nucleotides
