DNA, Genes And Protein Synthesis Flashcards
Name differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic DNA
Prokaryotic DNA - short, circular
Eukaryotic DNA - long, linear, associated with histones
What is a gene?
A gene is a base sequence of DNA that codes for an amino acid sequence of a polypeptide or functional RNA.
Name 3 features of genetic code
Universal - same triplet codes for the same amino acid in every organism
Non-overlapping - each base is only part of one codon
Degenerate - Multiple codons code for the same amino acid
What is the gene locus?
The location of a gene on a DNA molecule
What is an intron?
Non-coding sequences of bases
What is the genome?
The full set of genes in a cell
What is a proteome?
The full range of proteins a cell is able to produce
What is splicing?
The removal of introns from pre-mRNA to form mRNA
What is an allele?
An alternative form of a gene
What are homologous chromosomes?
Chromosomes that share the same genes at the same gene loci but not necessarily the same alleles. One is paternal, one is maternal.
How many hydrogen bonds form between different complementary base pairings?
Guanine - Cytosine 3 bonds
Adenine - Thymine 2 bonds
Which enzymes are present during transcription and what is their purpose?
DNA helicase breaks hydrogen bonds between complementary bases
RNA polymerase binds adjacent RNA nucleotides
