DNA and RNA Flashcards
Shape of DNA
Double helix
Purpose of RNA
Used as a messenger to communicate with the rest of the cell while the DNA stays in the nucleus
Used in protein synthesis
Components of the nucleotides that make up DNA and RNA
Nitrogen base
Pentose (five-carbon) sugar
Phosphate group
(Pentose and phosphate make up the sugar phosphate backbone)
Pentose sugar found in DNA
Deoxyribose
Pentose sugar found in RNA
Ribose
Nitrogen bases found in DNA
Adenine
Guanine
Cytosine
Thymine
Nitrogen bases found in RNA
Adenine
Guanine
Cytosine
Uracil
Nitrogen bases which are purines
Adenine
Guanine
Nitrogen bases which are pyrimidines
Thiamine/uracil
Cytosine
DNA bases which pair together
Adenine and thiamine
Guanine and cytosine
RNA bases which pair together
Adenine and uracil
Guanine and thiamine
Term for a set of three adjacent nucleotides
Codon
Number of amino acids
20
Number of possible codon combinations in the human genome
64
Segment of DNA or RNA which codes for a protein
Exon
Segment of DNA or RNA which does not code for a protein, and which is eliminated by splicing before translation
Intron
Production of new DNA from template DNA
Replication
Process by which RNA is synthesised by DNA
Transcription
Part of the cell where transcription takes place
Nucleus
Unprepared RNA which contains the introns which do not code for polypeptides
Heterogenous nuclear RNA
Process by which heterogenous nuclear RNA has introns removed
Splicing
Enzymes which transcribe RNA from DNA
RNA polymerases
Three main types of RNA
Messenger RNA
Transfer RNA
Ribosomal RNA
RNA which carries information from DNA out to ribosomes
Messenger RNA
Process by which RNA synthesises proteins
Translation
RNA which brings amino acids to the ribosome during translation
Transfer RNA
RNA which make up ribosomes and provide a place for mRNA and tRNA to attach to during translation
Ribosomal RNA
Area of the cell where translation occurs
Cytoplasm