From DNA to Protein

Question 1

What is a bacteriophage?

Answer 1

A type of virus that takes over a bacterium’s genetic machinery and directs it to make more viruses (over throws and reproduces in cell form). Injects the virus’s DNA into the bacteria

Question 2

Where is the genetic material stored in a cell?

Answer 2

the nucleus

Question 3

What are proteins made up of?

Question 4

Who were Watson and Crick?

Answer 4

scientists that were suppose to be studying the structure of proteins but instead tried to solve the mystery of DNA’s structure. They orginally thought placed the phosphate backbones on the outside and the bases on the inside and paired the nuclotide bases to the same nuclotide bases (i.e. A with A and T with T, and so on)

Question 5

What is the double helix?

Answer 5

a model of DNA that shows that there are two strands on DNA that are attached like a ladder and twisted

Question 6

What is a central dogma?

Answer 6

states the information flows from one direction from DNA to RNA to protein and involves three processes:
1)Replication
2)Transcription
3)Translation

Question 7

What is Replication?

Answer 7

the coping process of DNA in the cell cycle

Question 8

What is transcription?

Answer 8

Converts DNA messages into an intermediate molecule (RNA).Copies a sequence of DNA.

Question 9

what is translation?

Answer 9

Converts an mRNA transcript into polypeptides

Question 10

What are the 4 nuleotides?

Answer 10

T-thymine (single ringed)
A-Adenine (double ringed)
C-cytosine (single ringed)
G-guanine (double ringed)

Question 11

Which nucleotides pair with eachother?

Answer 11

T to A
C to G
(Base pairing rules)

Question 12

How do nucleotides differ?

Answer 12

They only differ by the types of nitrogen containing base.

Question 13

What hold the base pairs together in a DNA strand?

Answer 13

the bases are held together by a hydrogen bond

Question 14

What holds a single nucleotide structure together?

Answer 14

A covalent bond hold the phosphate group and the nitrogen containing base

Question 15

What are DNA polymerases?

Answer 15

Enzymes that bond together new nucleotides together

Question 16

What is the process of DNA replication?

Answer 16

1) Hydrogen bonds between base pairs are broken down exposing each end of the bases (unzips double helix structure)
2) exposed ends act as a template for new structures. New structures are formed by DNA polmerases and form new strands of complementary strands
3)Two identical molecules of DNA are formed with one strand from the original molecule and one new strand

Question 17

Where does DNA replication take place?

Answer 17

In the nucleus on eukaryotic cells

Question 18

What is RNA?

Answer 18

Ribonucleic acid; a chain of nucleotides that are made of sugar, phosphate group, and a nitrogen containing bases (temporary copy of DNA that is used then destroyed)

Question 19

What is RNA polymerases?

Answer 19

enzymes that bond nucleotides together in a chain to make a new RNA molecule.

Question 20

What is the transcription process?

Answer 20

1) RNA polymerase and other proteins assemble on the DNA strand and unwind a segment of DNA molecule until the two strands separate from each other
2) RNA polymerase strings together a complementary strand of RNA nucleotides from one of the DNA strands
3)One the entire gene has been transcribed the RNA detaches from the DNA.

Question 21

What is the difference between DNA and RNA nucleotides?

Answer 21

DNA has A,C,T, and G nucleotides and RNA has A,C,G and U (uracil) nucleotides

Question 22

What is mRNA?

Answer 22

stands for messenger RNA; an intermediate message that is translated to form a protein

Question 23

What is tRNA?

Answer 23

stands for transfer RNA; brings amino acid from the cytoplasm to a ribosome to help make the growing protein

Question 24

what is a codon?

Answer 24

a three-nucleotide sequence that codes for amino acids (groups of 3 nucleotides form one amino acid)

Question 25

What is a mutation?

Answer 25

A change in an organisms DNA, mutations affect a single gene during replication whereas mutation that affect a group of genes or an entire chromosome happens during meiosis

Question 26

What is a mutagen?

Answer 26

Agents in the environment that can change DNA, they sped up the rate of replication errors and can break DNA strands (ex. UV rays)

Question 27

What is the process of translation?

Answer 27

1) Exposed codon attracts a complementary tRNA molecule bearing an amino acid. tRNA anitcodon pairs with the mRNA codon.
2) The ribosome form a peptide bond between the two amino acids and breaks the bond between the first tRNA and its amino acids
3) Ribosome pulls the mRNA strand the length of one codon. The first tRNA is shifted into the exit site, where is leaves the ribosome and returns to the cytoplasm to recharge. The first site then becomes empty exposing the next mRNA codon.