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Medical Sciences - Biochemistry - Level 4 > DNA & RNA > Flashcards

DNA & RNA Flashcards

1
Q

Nucleotides consist of three elements

A

Nucleobase Deoxyribose sugar Phosphate group(s)

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2
Q

What is a nucleoside?

A

Is the nucleobase plus the deoxyribose sugar (i.e. without the phosphate).

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3
Q

Difference between nuceleotides and nucleocides?

A

Nucleotides have a phosphate group.

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4
Q

DNA is turned into RNA What is this called?

A

Transcription

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5
Q

RNA is turned into proteins What is this called?

A

Translation

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6
Q

Transfer RNA Ribosomal RNA What happens?

A

Transcribed from genes but used to translate mRNA into proteins

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7
Q

What is Pyrimidine?

A

Nitrogen containing aromatic ring

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8
Q

What is Purine?

A

Pyrimidine ring fused to imidazole ring

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9
Q

What nucleobase is this?

A

Purine

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10
Q

What nucleobase is this?

A

Pyrimidine

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11
Q

Types of Nucleobases

Purines

A

Adenine

Guanine

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12
Q

What nucelobase is this?

A

Adenine

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13
Q

What nucleobase is this?

A

Guanine

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14
Q

What nucleobase is this?

A

Cytosine

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15
Q

What nucleobase is this?

A

Thymine

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16
Q

Nucleosides and Deoxyribose

A

Deoxyribose binds to the nucelobase on a nitrogen atom of the pyrimidine or imidazole (for purine) ring

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17
Q

What is this nucleoside?

A

Deoxyribose

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18
Q

What is this nucleoside?

A

D-ribose

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19
Q

What is this nucleoside?

A

Adenosine

20
Q

What is this nucleoside?

A

Guanosine

21
Q

What is this nucleoside?

A

Cytidine

22
Q

What are nucleotides?

A

Nucleotides are the building blocks of nucleic acids

23
Q

What is this nucleoside?

A

Thymidine

24
Q

Where does the Phosphate group bind?

A

It binds to the 5’ position of the deosyribose group.

Additional phosphate groups bind to existing phosphate groups.

e.g. Adenosine monophosphate

25
Q

Other functions of Nucleotides

ATIP > GTP > UTP / CTP

A

Used for intracellular energy & metabolism

26
Q

Other functions of Nucleotides

ATP & GTP

A

Intracellular signalling

27
Q

Other functions of Nucleotides

ATP

A

Intracellular signalling

28
Q

Other functions of Nucleotides

Adenosine

A

Also a transmitted in the brain and CVS

Sleep / wake (e.g. coffee)

Vasodilator

Antiarrhymthic for heart

29
Q

Basics of DNA

A

Core nuclear material eukaryotes

Deoxyribose - missing the 2’ -OH group on the ribose group

“Double helix” conformation for polymer

30
Q

Phosphodiester bond

A
31
Q

Nucleobase H-bonds

Type?

A

Guanosine pairs with cytosine

3 H-bonds

*H = hydrogen

32
Q

Nucleobase H-bonds

Type?`

A

Adenosine pairs with thymidine

2-H bonds

33
Q

What is the structure of DNA?

A
  • sugar phosphate backbone
  • Nucleobase pairs linked
  • Hydrophobic bases on inside
  • Antiparallel strands
  • Read from 5’ - 3’
34
Q

DNA helix structure

A

Anti-parallel double helix

3.4nm per turn, 2nm wide

Glycosidic bonds of nucleobase and deoxyribose not at 90 degrees creates “major” and “minor” grooves.

Easier for proteins and other molecules to access DNA through major groove.

35
Q

What are some intercalating agents?

A

Hydrophobic heterocyclic ring molecules - resemble ring structure of base pairs.

Distort DNA double helix and interfere with transcription

Acridine orange, ethidium bromide - flourescent staining of DNA

Actinomuin D - inteferes with DNA replication. Cancer chemotherapy (also quite toxic)

36
Q

What is supercoiling of DNA?

A

Total length of human DNA molecule = 3m

DNA must be “wound” - can strain the DNA helix

Negative supercoiling relaxes DNA (and increases exposure to polymerases and transcription factors.)

Topoisomerase I and II: cleave DNA, twist strands round and reanneal.

37
Q

Supercoiling and histones

A
38
Q

What are histones?

A

any of a group of basic proteins found in chromatin.

39
Q

What is a chromatin?

A

the material of which the chromosomes of organisms other than bacteria (i.e. eukaryotes) are composed, consisting of protein, RNA, and DNA.

40
Q

Denaturing DNA

A

Strands seperated by splitting H-bonds

pH: spontaneous denaturing outside pH 2.3 - 11.5

Heat (~60 degrees)

Ionic strength

Can renature if restored through “annealing”

41
Q

Structure of RNA

A

Single stranded polyribonucleotide. Uridine not thymidine.

~30-50% of residues form intrastrand H-bonds

Also helical

2’ hydroxyl group attached to ribose group - less stable

Shorter lifespan (~30 minutes)

42
Q

RNA tertiary structure

A

Complex tertiary structure is vital for function

43
Q

What is transcription?

A

First step of gene expression.

RNA is transcribed from DNA by RNA.

Polymerase complex

Occurs in the nucleus

44
Q

What is translation?

A

Second step of gene expression.

mRNA is translated into proteins by ribosomes.

Occurs in cytosol / endoplasmic reticulum

45
Q

Example of DNA transcription

A

New proteins created from 5’ end to 3’

46
Q

Translation of ribosomes

A

Protein / RNA complex with numerous different individual proteins and rRNA units.

tRNA matches amino acid to nucleotide triplet and ribosome catalyses peptide bond formation.

Medical Sciences - Biochemistry - Level 4 (5 decks)

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