DNA & Genes

Question 1

Describe the structure of DNA in prokaryotes

Answer 1

• Short and circular chromosomes
• DNA is located in the Cytoplasm
• Supercoiled

Question 2

Describe the process of supercoiling

Answer 2

Supercoiling is the process by which the circular chromosomes condenses to fit inside the cell.

Question 3

Describe the structure of DNA in Eukaryotes

Answer 3

• Long and linear
• Contain homologous pairs
• located in the nucleus
• Wrap around proteins called histones then condenses to the chromosome

Question 4

What does Homologous mean?

Answer 4

The chromosome from the mother and father have the same genes at the same loci but alleles might be different at those loci.

Question 5

What is the name given to chromosomes in diploid eukaryotes?

Answer 5

Homologous pairs

Question 6

What is the endosymbiotic theory?

Answer 6

The theory states that bacterial cells were engulfed by a larger cell during evolution.

Question 7

What does the DNA in chloroplasts encode?

Answer 7

Enzymes for Photosynthesis

Question 8

What does the DNA in mitochondria encode?

Answer 8

Enzymes for Respiration.

Question 9

Why do prokaryotic chromosomes supercoil?

Answer 9

Fit inside the cell

Question 10

What 4 different bases are DNA made from?

Answer 10

(A, T, C, G).

Question 11

Gene

Answer 11

a sequence of bases in DNA.

Question 12

Locus

Answer 12

Specific location of a gene in the DNA

Question 13

Codon/Triplet

Answer 13

Three bases in a gene that encode a specific amino acid.

Question 14

mRNA

Answer 14

The RNA molecule that is copied into a polypeptide.

Question 15

tRNA

Answer 15

The RNA molecule that helps find the correct amino acids for specific codon.

Question 16

The three important features of the genetic code

Answer 16

Non-overlapping
Universal
Degenrate

Question 17

What are non-coding multiple repeats useful for

Answer 17

for forensic testing and paternity tests.

Question 18

Introns

Answer 18

The non-coding regions in a gene.

Question 19

Exons

Answer 19

coding regions in a gene

Question 20

What do RNA and DNA have in common?

Answer 20

Both contain 4 different nucleotides

Question 21

Compare and contrast the similarities and differences between eukaryotic and prokaryotic DNA.

Answer 21

• Eukaryotics have long and linear chromosomes with DNA wrapped around histones.
• Prokaryotes have single, circular chromosomes.
• Prokaryotes pack their chromomes by supercoiling managed by DNA gyrase

Question 22

What does compartmentalisation enable in eukaryotes?

Answer 22

To build more complex proteins and RNA products

Question 23

What does compartmentalisation enable in prokaryotes?

Answer 23

RNA and protein synthesis occur more quickly

Question 24

What cell structures does not contain heritable information?

Answer 24

Cytoplasmic membrane

Question 25

If a prokaryotic cell is replicating nucleotides at a rate of 100 per second, how fast would a eukaryotic cell be replicating nucleotides?

Answer 25

1 per second