Genetic Code Flashcards
what type of structure does DNA have?
twisted double helix
what are DNA’s nitrogenous bases?
A T C G
what are these base pairings called?
complementary base pairing
AT, TA, CG, GC
what is the top of the base pairing sequence?
(5’), always has phosphate attached
what is the bottom of the base pairing sequence?
(3’)
when is the sequence downstream?
when it is moving towards the bottom (3’)
when is the sequence upstream?
when it is moving towards the top (5’)
what is mitosis?
the process by which a single parent cell divides to make two new daughter cells
(replication)
what separates the bases during mitosis?
enzymes
( when it ends in -ase, it is an enzyme)
what is a chromosome?
a thread-like structure made up of DNA
what is the physical unit of genetic inheritance?
chromosome
how many chromosomes do humans have?
46
(23 pairs)
what is the 23rd pair of chromosomes?
sex chromosomes
what is RNA?
a nucleic acid present in all living cells that has structural similarities to DNA
what are the bases of RNA?
A C G U
what does RNA use that DNA doesn’t?
(U) uracil to replace (T) thymine
what are the complementary base pairs of RNA?
AU, UA, GC, CG
DNA -> RNA base pairings?
AU, TA, CG, GC
what type of structure is RNA?
single stranded
what are all the different types of RNA?
mRNA- messenger RNA
tRNA- transfer RNA
book of life analogy for the genetic code?
a sentence in our language is a series of words (codons) that gives a sequence of amino acids
what is a codon?
a sequence of three nucleotides which together form a unit of genetic code in a DNA or RNA molecule.
ex: GUU, UUA, GGU
