DNA Flashcards
what is the structure of DNA?
- found within the nucleus of cells.
- a double helix,
- a phosphate molecule, a sugar molecule, and a nitrogenous base.
- Nitrogenous bases = cytosine, guanine, adenine, and thymine
what is a histone?
protein molecule around which DNA is tightly coiled to form chromatin
what is chromatin?
Tangled network of coiled DNA in a cell that is not dividing.
what is a chromosome?
Super coiled chromatin when a cell divides
what is the process of DNA replication?
- DNA double helix unwinds
- DNA helicase- unzips by the weak hydrogen bonds between bases breaking
- DNA polymerase-Free nucleotides pair up with exposed DNA bases.
- Work in a 5’ to 3’ direction
- Weak hydrogen bonds form between the complementary bases
- DNA ligase- helps build the strands and attach the nucleotides to each other.
- 2 identical daughter molecules are formed
- 1 old strand and 1 new strand
- This is Semi-conservative replication
what is protein synthesis?
the process in which cells make proteins
what is transcription?
DNA is copied
describe the process of transcription?
- occurs in the nucleus
- mRNA is made which is initiated at the promoter region of DNA on the template strand
- Free bases in nucleus are brought to DNA and the complementary bases are built using RNA polymerase
- mRNA is made from the template strand and leaves the nucleus through nuclear pores.
- Thymine is replaced by Uracil
describe the process of translation
what is translation?
Production of a protein using the information that is coded in the mRNA molecule
describe translation
- mRNA attaches to a ribosome. Ribosome recognizes the initiation codon AUG
- tRNA which has anti-codon complementary to AUG attaches to the mRNA and carries an amino acid
- The next codon is read and the matching anticodon of the tRNA is attached
- Amino acids join via peptide bonds and the growing polypeptide chain is removed from the tRNA’s
- When a stop codon is reached translation stops and the polypeptide (protein) is released
- Protein is released from the ribosome
- Empty tRNA can be recycled
describe mtDNA
- Mitochondria
- Relatively small
- Circular
- Inherited only form the mother
- Not bound to histones
describe nDNA
- Nucleus
- Much larger
- Double helix
- Inherited from both mother and father
- Wrapped around histones
what is epigenetics?
The altering of a gene without changing the gene structure
what are the two processes of modifying the histone proteins?
acetylation and methylation
what factors affect Epigenetics?
stress, diet, age, lifestyle
factors don’t change DNA, yet interfere with transcription and translation processes involved in protein production
what is gene expression?
the process where information in the gene is used to make a product
what is acetylation?
Addition of acetyl group to a histone
= Enhances gene expression as transcription is promoted by allowing access to RNA polymerase due to the reduced attraction between DNA and histones, causing chromatin structure to relax
what is methylation?
Addition of methyl group to histone
- Occurs at CpG sites (cytosine is adjacent to guanine)
- Inhibits gene expression by restricting access to RNA polymerase as DNA is more tightly coiled around histone molecules