DNA, RNA, and Proteins Flashcards
What are the three components of a nucleotide?
A 5-carbon sugar
A phosphate group
A nitrogenous base
Where is DNA found?
In the nucleus
Where is RNA primarily found?
In the cytoplasm
What are the two purines?
Adenine and guanine
What are the two pyramidines?
Cytosine and Thymine
What did Watson and Crick do?
They made a model of the structure of DNA
What is the structure of DNA?
A double helix with phosphate and sugar at the sides, and nitrogenous bases forming the rungs of the ladder
Made up of two complementary strands
What is DNA replication?
The process of making a copy of DNA, using each strand as a template. Produces two identical DNA molecules
What is the three step process of DNA replication?
- The double helix unwinds at the REPLICATION FORK
- DNA Polymerase attaches to each strand at the end, and then moves along, reading each base and attaching a new, complementary base
- At the end of the strand, polymerase leaves.
How are errors checked for during DNA replication?
DNA polymerase can proofread the new DNA strand, backtracking to add, remove, or change the bases
What do the instructions in DNA code for?
Proteins
What do proteins do?
Structural purposes
Enzymes
Determine the traits we have
Are proteins built directly from DNA?
Nope
Name the three ways RNA differs from DNA.
- Single strand of nucleotides
- Has RIBOSE instead of DEOXYRIBOSE
- Has Uracil instead of Thymine
What is transcription? Where does it happen?
The process by which a gene’s instructions for making proteins are transferred from a DNA molecule to an RNA molecule.
It happens in the nucleus, where the DNA is located.