DNA and RNA Flashcards
What is DNA?
- DNA is used to store genetic information which are the instructions for growth from baby to adult
- polymer of nucleotides
What is RNA?
- transfers genetic information from the DNA to the ribosomes
- polymer of nucleotides
What is a nucleotide?
- a type of biological molecule
- they are the monomers that make up DNA and RNA
Which sugars are in DNA?
- the pentode sugar in a DNA nucleotide is called deoxyribose
- each nucleotide has the same sugar and phosphate group with a varying base
Which sugars are in RNA?
- RNA contains nucleotides with ribose Sugar
- an RNA nucleotide has a phosphate group a varying base
What are polynucleotides?
-a polynucleotide is a polymer of nucleotides
-DNA and RNA nucleotides form polynucleotides
-
How is DNA made?
- two anti-parallel polynucleotide strands twist to form a double helix through hydrogen bonding
- there is always and equal amount of the same base pairing in DNA e.g. C&G
How is RNA made?
RNA is made from a single polynucleotide chain and is much shorter than most DNA pilynucleotides
Ribosomes and RNA
Ribosomes are the body’s protein factories, they read the RNA to make polypeptides in a process called translation
What makes up a nucleotide?
- pentode sugar
- nitrogen containing organic base
- phosphate group
How many carbon atoms are in a pentode sugar?
5
What are the bases of DNA?
- adenine and thymine
- cytosine and guanine
What are the bases of RNA?
- adenine and uracil
- cytosine and guanine
How many hydrogen bonds form between adenine and thymine?
2
How many hydrogen bonds form between cytosine and guanine?
3
When was DNA first observed?
1800s
Why did some scientists doubt that DNA could carry the genetic code?
It has a relatively simple chemical composition
Why did some scientists believe that DNA could carry the genetic code?
They though the genetic information was carried by proteins which is much more chemically varied
When was the double helix structure discovered?
1953 by Watson and crick
When was DNA proved to be the carrier of genetic material?
1953 through successful experiments
when was the double helix structure discovered?
1953, by Watson and crick
when was it discovered that DNA carries the code?
1953
