Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

BIO 1210 > DNA & RNA > Flashcards

DNA & RNA Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

What are the two kinds of nucleic acid?

A

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)

Ribonucleic acid (RNA)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What are the subunits of DNA?

A
  • sugar (pentose)
  • phosphate group
  • nitrogenous bases
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Describe genes

A

Composed of nucleic acids

Hundreds-thousands of nucleotides long

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Describe nucleic acids

A

Macromolecules that exist as polymers (called polynucleotides)

They are made up of the monomers called nucleotides that store, transmit and express hereditary information

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Describe nucleotides

A

Monomers that when linked make up nucleic acids.

They are composed of

  • nitrogenous bases
  • pentose (5-C sugar)
  • 1 or more phosphate groups
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Describe DNA

A

the genetic material that organisms inherit from their parents

It directs RNA synthesis and through RNA it controls protein synthesis

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Describe chromosomes

A

They contain one long DNA molecule that carries hundreds of genes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

T or F: DNA implements genetic programming by itself

A

FALSE. Proteins are required for this

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Where is DNA located in eukaryotic cells?

A

In the nucleus

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Describe nitrogenous bases

A

A nitrogen-containing molecule that is also basic because the nitrogen atoms tend to absorb H+

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What are the nitrogenous bases?

A

DNA:

  • Adenine
  • Thymine
  • Cytosine
  • Guanine

RNA:

  • Adenine
  • Uracil
  • Cytosine
  • Guanine
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What are the two families of nitrogenous bases? Which base is in which family?

A
  1. Purine:
    - Adenine
    - Guanine
  2. Pyrimidine:
    - Cytosine
    - Thymine (in DNA)
    - Uracil (in RNA)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Describe the structures of purines and pyrimidines

A

Purine: 2 rings

Pyrimidines: 1 ring

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What kind of sugar is found in nucleotides?

A

A 5-carbon sugar (PENTOSE)

  • deoxyribose in DNA
  • ribose in RNA
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

How are sugar carbons numbered vs nitrogenous base carbons?

A

Carbons in the sugars are numbered as primes - ex. 1’

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Where are the phosphate groups attached on the nucleotide?

A

one or more phosphate group is attached to the C5’ of the sugar

in a polynucleotide, each monomer only has one phosphate group

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Describe a nucleoside

A

The portion of a nucleotide that is lacking a phosphate group

composed of just the pentose sugar and the nitrogenous bases

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

If nucleotides are monomers, what are the polymers?

A

polynucleotides AKA nucleic acids

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What are the covalent bonds called that connect nucleotides?

A

Phosphodiester linkages

A phosphate group links the sugars of two nucleotides

20
Q

What is the result of a phosphodiester linkage?

A

the sugar-phosphate backbone (the non-variable part of the DNA) with

a 5’ end: phosphate attached to the 5’C
a 3’ end: -OH attached on the 3’ C

21
Q

Which direction does the sugar-phosphate backbone run?

A

5’ - 3’

22
Q

Describe the structure of a DNA molecule

A

Contains two polynucleotides (nucleic acids) that wind around in a double helix. In the helix, the nitrogenous bases are paired.

The helix is surrounded by two sugar-phosphate backbones that run in opposite 5’-3’ directions (antiparallel)

23
Q

T or F: each of the two strands are complimentary to the other and can therefore be used as a template to generate the other

A

TRUE

24
Q

Describe the structure of RNA molecules

A

Exist as single strands with complimentary base pairings occurring between regions of two RNA molecules

25
Q

Describe why replication is semi-conservative

A

In the new double helix/DNA molecule, one strand is new and one is conserved from the parental molecule

26
Q

What is the function of the enzyme helicase in DNA replication

A

It attaches to the DNA at the origins and separates the two strands to open the replication bubble

27
Q

Which direction does DNA replication occur in?

A

Both directions until the entire molecule is copied

28
Q

What is the function of DNA polymerase?

A

It catalyzes the synthesis of nucleic acids for chromosomes by adding nucleotides to a template chain and makes a daughter strand

29
Q

What are the names for the two strands of DNA produced?

A
  1. Leading strand

2. Lagging strand

30
Q

How is the leading strand produced?

A

Continuously because the enzyme is running 5’-3’ TOWARDS the replication fork

31
Q

T or F: the leading strand’s enzyme is running towards the replication fork

A

True

32
Q

How is the lagging strand produced?

A

In series of segments because the enzyme is running 5’-3’ AWAY from the replication fork

The enzyme synthesizes segments and links them after

33
Q

Define the replication fork

A

Where the two strands of DNA separate at the end of each replication bubble

34
Q

What are the segments of lagging strands called?

A

Okazaki fragments

35
Q

T or F: the enzyme Polymerase can only add nucleotides in one direction

A

TRUE

36
Q

Define RNA and its structure

A

A nucleic acid polymer composed of nucleotides, sugars, and nitrogenous bases.

It is usually single-stranded but can fold into 3D shape by hydrogen bonding and base pairing

37
Q

What is the sugar in RNA?

A

Ribose

38
Q

What are the nitrogenous bases in RNA?

A

Uracil and Adenine

Guanine and Cytosine

39
Q

Define transcription

A

The process in which RNA molecules are made from DNA

40
Q

What are the 4 types of RNA?

A

All made by transcription:

  1. mRNA: Messenger RNA
  2. rRNA: Ribosomal RNA
  3. tRNA: transfer RNA
  4. hnRNA: heterogenous nuclear RNA (not important for this course)
41
Q

What is the function of mRNA?

A

Messenger RNA contain information from a gene to command amino acids to them

42
Q

What is the function of rRNA?

A

Ribosomal RNA is a major structural and functional component of ribosomes which work in protein synthesis

They also read the mRNA

43
Q

What is the function of tRNA?

A

They bring amino acids to ribosomes during translation (making a protein)

44
Q

What are other functions of small RNAs?

A

processing mRNAs
intracellular transport
ribozymes (RNA-based enzymes)

45
Q

What is the overall function of RNAs?

A

To make proteins

46
Q

What are the 3 structural differences between DNA and RNA?

A
  1. DNA consists of deoxyribose sugar, whereas RNA consists of ribose sugars
  2. DNA consists of A-T, C-G nitrogenous pairs, whereas RNA consists of A-U, C-G pairs
  3. DNA is a double stranded helix, whereas RNA is a single strand

BIO 1210 (16 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions