Exam Two Flashcards
The Nuclear Pore Complex (NPC) spans the entire?
nuclear envelope
The NPC consists of?
- 2 parallel rings with 8 subunits outlining the rings
- central granule (transporter)
What is the function of the NPC?
- transport macromolecules across the nuclear envelope
- important nuclear proteins: nucleoplasmin and exportins/importins
What is chromatin?
complex of DNA and protein in chromosomes
What are two types of chromatin?
- euchromatin
- heterochromatin
Euchromatin
- less dense
- highly active DNA
- only type in prokaryotes
Heterochromatin
- tightly packed, condensed
- less likely to undergo transcription
- often peripheral in nucleus
Functions of heterochromatin?
- gene regulation
- chromosome protection
What are histones?
- alkaline proteins that act as spools in which DNA winds around
- primary protein of chromatin that cause chromatin packing and helps in gene regulation, before transcription
What is the function of histones?
allows DNA to fit in nucleus
What is a nucleosome?
bead like structures created by spools of DNA
What are two important types of nucleic acids?
- DNA
- RNA
What is the process that makes DNA from DNA?
replication
What is the process that makes mRNA from DNA?
transcription
What is the process that makes protein from mRNA?
translation
What are the two types of nitrogenous bases in DNA and RNA?
- purines: double ringed
- pyrimidines: single ringed
What are the two purines in DNA?
- adenine
- guanine
What are the two purines in RNA?
- adenine
- guanine
What are the two pyrimidines in DNA?
- cytosine
- thymine
What are the two pyrimidines in RNA?
- cytosine
- uracil
What is the structure of DNA?
- 2 strands twisted in a double helix
- linear arrangement of nucleotides
What is the base pairing in DNA?
A-T and G-C
What is the base pairing in RNA?
A-U and G-C
How do the two base pairs join together?
weak H bonds
How many H bonds in A-T?
2 H bonds
How many H bonds in G-C?
3 H bonds
DNA is always replicated:
3’ —– 5’ (template/sense strand)
New DNA strand is always:
antiparallel to template/sense strand
-will grow 5’——-3’
What is the start codon?
- DNA: TAC
- RNA: AUG
What is the amino acid the start codon codes for?
methionine
What are the three stop codons in DNA?
- ATT
- ATC
- ACT
What are the three stop codons in RNA?
- UAA
- UAG
- UGA
What is a codon?
3 bases of DNA/RNA that code for a specific amino acid
What are the three types of RNA?
- mRNA (messenger)
- tRNA (transfer)
- rRNA (ribosomal)
What is the function of mRNA?
carry genetic information from the nucleus to the cytoplasm for protein synthesis
What is the function of tRNA?
-decode (translate) mRNA base sequences into a specific amino acid sequence (5’—-3’)
What is the function of rRNA?
-binds mRNA to ribosomes
What part of tRNA does mRNA bind?
anticodon
What part of tRNA does the amino acid bind?
3’ OH end
What is a ribosome?
RNA + proteins
What indicates the size of a ribosome?
S-values
What are the two parts to a ribosome?
- small subunit (40S)
- large subunit (60S)
What are the four binding sites on the ribosome?
- mRNA binding site
- A site (aminoacyl tRNA)
- P site (peptide site)
- E site (lounge site)
Where is the mRNA binding site on the ribosome found?
in small subunit
Where is the A site found and what is it responsible for?
- on large subunit
- brings in new a.a. during translation
Where is the P site found and what is it responsible for?
- on large subunit
- carries growing polypeptide chain
Where is the E site found and what is it responsible for?
- exit binding site
- tRNA binds here after it releases the amino acid
Where is rRNA created?
in nucleolus
Where are membrane-bound ribosomes attached to?
rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER)
Where are proteins found?
in cytoplasm
Where is the complete ribosome formed?
cytoplasm
rRNa in large subunit will act as what?
a ribozyme
What is the function of a ribozyme?
join a.a.’s with peptide bonds
How many ribosomal sites can hold tRNAs at one time?
only 2
What is the purpose of transcription?
to make RNA
What are the building blocks for transcription?
ribonucleotide triphosphates (ribose, base, + phosphate groups)
DNA template/sense strand runs?
3’——-5’
Compliment strand runs?
antiparallel; 5’———3’
Where is RNA Polymerase II found?
in nucleoplasm
What is the function of RNA Polymerase II?
enzyme needed to join nucleotide triphosphates to make RNA
What is the promoter site?
tells which DNA strand will be the template/sense strand
Is the poly A tail a part of DNA?
no
Where is the poly A tail found?
on 3’ end of transcribed RNA
What is the function of the poly A tail?
- acts as a signal to allow RNA to move out of nucleus and bind to ribosomes in cytoplasm
- may increase life-time of the mRNA
What are the expressions regions that do code for sequences of amino acids called?
exons
What are the intervening sequences which are non-coding sequences of nucleotides founds in between exons called?
introns
What is splicing?
removal of introns
Where does splicing occur?
in the nucleus
What is the function of splicing?
to leave a continuous sequence of exons
What is a spliceosome?
a protein complex and small nuclear RNAs
What is another name for spliceosome?
snurps (small nuclear ribonucleo-proteins)
When do you only have true mRNA?
only after splicing
What are chaperones?
cytoplasmic proteins that aid in the correct assembly or disassembly of new proteins
What are the two functions of chaperones?
- fold proteins
- assemble another protein or protein complex
What are the chaperones role in protein folding?
to prevent:
- misfolding
- formation of aggregates or tangles
What happens to unassembled or misfolded proteins?
they are transported out of the ER to the cytosol for degradation
What are two types of chaperones?
- heat shock proteins: bind and stabilize unfolded proteins
- chaperonins: small chambers where unfolded proteins are sequestered for proper folding
What is enzyme induction?
where a molecule (INDUCER) initiates production of an enzyme
What is enzyme repression?
prevent making of an enzyme
What does enzyme repression operate on?
feedback inhibition
What is the mechanism of enzyme repression?
- repressor often combines with another molecule to block the operator
- therefore blocks binding of RNA Polymerase
- therefore no transcription
What is an operon?
a group of closely related genes that can be turned “on” and “off” as a single unit
True/False: Each tRNA is specific for a different amino acid.
True
There are only a half number of tRNAs (31) due to:
wobbling
What permits the flexibility in the pairing between the 3rd base of mRNA codon (inosine) and its complementary base in the anticodon?
wobbling
- I (inosine) can bind with either U, C or A
- therefore fewer tRNAs for some amino acids
Where does the combination of a.a. and tRNA occur?
in the cytoplasm
What is the combination of a.a. and tRNA mediated by?
aminoacyl synthetase
Where does transcription occur?
nucleus
Where does activation occur?
cytoplasm
-tRNA combines with a.a.
Where does initiation occur?
- P site on ribosome (in cytoplasm)
- translation occurs 5’—–3’
Where does elongation occur?
- A site on ribosome (cytoplasm)
- growing polypeptide chain occurs on P site
- translation and peptide bond formation occurs 5’—–3’
Where does termination occur?
- A site on ribosome
- stop codon located here
What are the two types of protein modifications?
- co-translational (during protein synthesis)
- post-translational (after protein synthesis)
What are the 5 types of co-translational modification?
- deformylation
- a.a. cleavage
- side chain alteration
- disulfide bridge formation
- tertiary folding
What are the 2 types of post-translational modification?
- peptide cleavage (ie. proinsulin)
- addition of prosthetic group (ie. heme to globin)
Outline the steps of protein targeting.
- signal sequence (SS) which is 20-30 a.a. long is made at the N-term
- signal recognition particle (SRP) recognizes SS and binds to it, halting translation
- SS-SRP complex is recognized by SRP docking protein (SRP receptor) on RER membrane
- SS + ribosome-mRNA complex is inserted through the ER membrane
- signal peptidase dissociates SRP, separating SS
- translation resumes
- protein synthesis is completed
What happens once protein synthesis is completed?
- protein is released in the ER lumen
- protein is transported from ER to Golgi complex
- protein is exported before secretion can occur
What is epigenetics?
altering gene function without altering DNA structure