EXAM I Ferguson Flashcards
What two bonds are important in the formation of DNA?
Glycosidic - links sugar to base
Phosphodiester - links bases
10bp/turn
symmetric
How many nts are distributed over how many chromosomes?
3.2x10^9 nts over 24 different chromosomes
What are banding patterns, karyotyping, and whole chromosome painting used for?
The identification and detection of chromosome numbers
Banding pattern - staining & light microscopy
Karyotyping - detect abnormalities, determine loss or gain of chromosomes
Whole Chrom. Painting
3 requirements to pass genetic information to daughter cells
OriR
Centromere - kinetochore attachment
Telomere
(ENTIRE genome is replicated; DNA serves as its own template)
What are the common interactions between DNA and histone proteins?
H.H.S. - hungry, hungry, salty!
Hydrophobic interactions
H-bonds
Salt linkages - Arginine & Lysine
What are the roles of arginine and lysine during the packing of DNA with histones?
They are (+) charges which neutralizes the (-) charge of the DNA backbone, allowing the interactions (hydrophobic, H-bonds, salt linkages) to occur
What does chromatin remodeling allow for? What enzyme is used? And does this process require energy?
Looser arrangment of histones around DNA to allow greater access for proteins
Helicase requires ATP - cuts linker DNA into fragments
Define epigenetics and provide some examples
The study of changes in organisms caused by gene expression modifications RATHER than alteration of the genetic code itself
i.e. DNA methylation, Maternal Imprinting, Histone modifications, chromatin structures
Evidence that histones are more than just structural (they’re also functional; 3 ways)
Highly conserved
DNA contains equal amounts of histone and nonhistone protein
Heterochromatin is used for gene silencing & passed on to daughter cells = Drosophila experiment (zone of inactivation) = position effect
Which amino acid(s) are important in histone modification? What enzymes add and remove it?
Lysine
Methylation of lysine via methyl transferase, removed by methyl demethylase
Acetylation of lysine via histone acetyl transferase (HATs), removed by histone deacetylase complexes (HDACs)
Serine = phosphorylated
What is the function of the code-reader complex for histone codes? List its components, what are some examples of the consequences of the histone codes? Function of code reader enzymes?
Binds histone codes on the N-terminus histone tail via covalent modifications which determines DNA packaging in nucelosomes
Components: protein modules (that bind specific histone modifications on nucleosomes), scaffold protein
Displays catalytic activity
Ex: gene silencing, gene expression, etc.
Code reader enzymes spread the marker over chromosome for continued modification
Function of barrier proteins during nucleosome/chromatin modification; example is HS4 region
T/F - remodeling is dependent upon ATP
Barrier sequences (i.e. proteins or enzymes) halt the spread of chromatin modification
HS4 region protect beta-globin locus from silencing, containing a cluster of histone acetylase binding sites
True - ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling protein - assists with condensation/decondensation
Explain the role of centromeric heterochromatin (H3) in chromatin modifications
Which set of histones are always passed on to daughter cells in forming the centromere?
- H3 histone = CENP-A that forms kinetochore (required for the attachment of mitotic spindle)
Centromere sequences contain non-required alpha satellite DNA, also found at non-centromeric positions
New centromeres can spontaneously form on fragmented DNA
- H3-H4 tetramer directly inherited
What type of chromatin is rich in gene expression? Where are heterochromatin located during gene expression?
Euchromatin
Heterochromatin = towards or inside the nucleus
Active chromatin form loops
What is the role of condensins? T/F ATP required?
Used during condensation (disentangelment of sister chromatids to allow separation for cell division), which aids the compaction via ATP hydrolysis to coil DNA into chromatids
How do genomic changes occur (genome evolution)
Via mistakes during DNA replication: (rare)
I (goto) DownTown, SD
Inversions, Translocations, Deletions, Substitutions, Duplication
Base pair substitutions
How are phylogenetic trees used for comparative genomics?
Able to compare genomes of contemporary organisms; they show differences between humans and apes
Able to determine sequence conservation
One reason for sequence conservation could be that eliminating mutations could interfere with important genetic functions = purifying selection
What is the purpose of sequence comparisons in genome evolution?
Helps to provide inside into purpose or function
5% human genome conserved, but 1.5% codes for proteins
Therefore, the human genome is highly conserved
Describe the importance of gene duplication in regards to the globin chain
Duplication and Divergence
Started with a single-chain globin that binds 1 oxygen molecule, evolution allowed for a 2nd globin chain by gene duplication followed by mutation, resulting in 4 globin chains binding 4 oxygens
Mutation gave rise beta and alpha genes; translocation = moved alpha to separate chrom.; further duplication & mutation = more specialized beta molecules (fetal, adult)
Why do germ cells and somatic cells have a high fidelity rate?
Germ-cells = to maintain the species
Somatic cells = to avoid uncontrolled proliferation/cancer
What are the key players in DNA replication?
DNA Polymerase
DNA Primase
Helicase
OriR (A-T rich)
ssDNA Binding Protein
Topoisomerase
What is the function of mismatch repair during DNA replication? What players are involved?
Corrects the errors that DNA proofreading (via 3’-5’ exonuclease) does not fix
MutS - sticks and binds to mismatch
MutL - looks for errors and triggers degradation of nicked strand
What are the proteins at the replication fork in DNA replication? ATP required?
- Sliding Clamp + Clamp loader - keeps DNA polymerase on DNA when moving and is removed once it encounters a double strand
- Assembled via ATP hydrolysis
- Stays on continuously in leading strand, new clamps are assembled on lagging strand at each Okazaki fragment
At what rate does helicase unwind DNA?
1000 nt pairs/sec