Genetic Code Flashcards
What is a genome?
The complete set of genes and non-coding DNA in a cell including chloroplast and mitochondrial DNA.
What is the proteome?
The full range of proteins produced by the genome.
Compare eukaryotic DNA and prokaryotic DNA (4)
Eukaryotic:
-Linear DNA
-Associated with histones
-Has introns
-Longer
-Has no plasmids
Prokaryotic:
-Circular DNA
-Not associated with histones
-Has no introns
-Shorter
-Has plasmids
What are telomeres?
At the end of chromosomes and are repetitive to offer protection against degradation.
What is a homologous chromosone?
Chromosomes which are the same in size, shape and contain the same genes
What is an allele?
Different version of the same gene.
What are the 4 features of the genetic code?
-Triplet code
-Non-overlapping code
-Degenerate code
-Universal code
What does a triplet code mean?
-For every three bases one ammino acid is coded for.
-3 bases is a codon
What does an over-lapping code mean?
-Each base appears only once in a triplet so it is only read once.
-Advantage as mutations will only effect one triplet.
What does a degenerate code mean?
-Most ammino acids are coded for by more than one codon.
-So protects against mutations.
-There are 3 stop codons which code for the end of a chain.
What does a universal code mean?
Same in all known living organisms.
What is an exon?
A coding region for part of a polypeptide chain.
What is an intron?
A non-coding region.
What is a minisatalite?
A base sequence between genes which are non-coding and are not transcribed in the gene.
-Provide genetic finger printing.
