DNA Flashcards
Eukaryotes
an organism consisting of a cell or cells in which the genetic material is DNA in the form of chromosomes contained within a distinct nucleus
nucleus
it is a membrane-bound organelle that contains the cell’s chromosomes.
membrane
the thin layer that forms the outer boundary of a living cell or of an internal cell compartment.
organelle
is a subcellular structure that has one or more specific jobs to perform in the cell, much like an organ does in the body.
nuclear pores
is a protein-lined channel in the nuclear envelope that regulates the transportation of molecules between the nucleus and the cytoplasm
nucleoplasm
the substance of a cell nucleus, especially that not forming part of a nucleolus.
metabolism
the sum of the chemical reactions that take place within each cell of a living organism and that provide energy for vital processes and for synthesizing new organic material.
nucleolus
a small dense spherical structure in the nucleus of a cell during interphase.
chromatin network
is the network of the cell nucleus, which contains all the DNA of the nucleus of the cell.
DNA
or deoxyribonucleic acid, is the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms.
chromosomes
are thread-like structures in which DNA is tightly packaged within the nucleus.
genes
are pieces of DNA inside each cell that tell the cell what to do and when to grow and divide.
mitochondria
an organelle found in large numbers in most cells, in which the biochemical processes of respiration and energy production occur. It has a double membrane, the inner part being folded inwards to form layers (cristae).
chloroplast
a plastid in green plant cells which contains chlorophyll and in which photosynthesis takes place.
extranuclear DNA
the chromosomes which are present outside the nucleus in the cytoplasm. The mitochondria have a circular DNA known as mt-DNA and chloroplast has Ct-DNA.
RNA
Ribonucleic acid is a polymeric molecule essential in various biological roles in coding, decoding, regulation and expression of genes.
monomers
a molecule that can be bonded to other identical molecules to form a polymer.
nucleotides
a compound consisting of a nucleoside linked to a phosphate group. Nucleotides form the basic structural unit of nucleic acids such as DNA.
cytoplasm
is a thick solution that fills each cell and is enclosed by the cell membrane. It is mainly composed of water, salts, and proteins.
polymer
A polymer is a substance or material consisting of very large molecules, or macromolecules, composed of many repeating subunits.
monomer
a molecule that can be bonded to other identical molecules to form a polymer.
nucleotides
are compounds consisting of a nucleoside linked to a phosphate group. Nucleotides form the basic structural unit of nucleic acids such as DNA.
deoxyribose sugar
is a monosaccharide with idealized formula H−(C=O)−(CH2)−(CHOH)3−H. Its name indicates that it is a deoxy sugar, meaning that it is derived from the sugar ribose by loss of an oxygen atom.
phosphate group
A functional group characterized by a phosphorus atom bonded to four oxygen atoms (three single bonds and one double bond).
nitrogenous base
A molecule that contains nitrogen and has the chemical properties of a base.
adenine
a compound which is one of the four constituent bases of nucleic acids. A purine derivative, it is paired with thymine in double-stranded DNA.
thymine
a compound which is one of the four constituent bases of nucleic acids. A pyrimidine derivative, it is paired with adenine in double-stranded DNA.
cytosine
a compound found in living tissue as a constituent base of DNA. It is paired with guanine in double-stranded DNA.
guanine
a compound that occurs in guano and fish scales, and is one of the four constituent bases of nucleic acids. A pure derivative, it is paired with cytosine in double-stranded DNA.
purine
Purine is a heterocyclic aromatic organic compound that consists of two rings.
pyrimidine
is one of two classes of heterocyclic nitrogenous bases found in the nucleic acids DNA and RNA: in DNA the pyrimidines are cytosine and thymine, in RNA uracil replaces thymine.
hydrogen bonds
are a primarily electrostatic force of attraction between a hydrogen atom which is covalently bound to a more electronegative atom or group, particularly the second-row elements nitrogen
gene
is a basic unit of heredity and a sequence of nucleotides in DNA or RNA that encodes the synthesis of a gene product, either RNA or protein
genome
the haploid set of chromosomes in a gamete or microorganism, or in each cell of a multicellular organism.
DNA replication
is the biological process of producing two identical replicas of DNA from one original DNA molecule
protein synthesis
is the process in which cells make proteins. It occurs in two stages: transcription and translation
amino acids
Amino acids are organic compounds that contain amino and carboxyl functional groups, along with a side chain specific to each amino acid
coding DNA
A sequence of DNA that codes for protein. Coding DNA sequences are separated by long regions of DNA called introns that have no apparent function.
non-coding DNA
Non-coding DNA sequences are components of an organism’s DNA that do not encode protein sequences. Some non-coding DNA is transcribed into functional non-coding RNA molecules
gene expression
is the process by which information from a gene is used in the synthesis of a functional gene product that enable to produce protein as the end product
mutation
is an alteration in the nucleotide sequence of the genome of an organism, virus, or extrachromosomal DNA. Viral genomes contain either DNA or RNA
