Genetics Test 2 Flashcards
What is Denaturation?
Loss of native configuration of a macromolecule, usually accompanied by loss of biological activity.
Denatured proteins often unfold their polypeptide chains and express changed properties of solubility.
What is Renaturation?
If the complementary single strands of DNA are cooled slowly, they find each other and re-form base-paired double helices
What does the rate of renaturation depend on
-Complexity of the sequence
-Concentrations of the renaturing DNA sequences (amount)
In a sample of genomic DNA from an organism, what DNA sequences are more concentrated? Why?
The repetitive DNA sequences are relatively more concentrated than the unique DNA sequences
Because they are present many times over; consequently, the repetitive sequences
re-form duplex molecules at a faster rate than the unique DNA sequences.
What is the degree of repetition called?
copy number
How many complex copies can be found in the prokaryotes genome?
1 copy
How many complex (unique) copies can be found in a eukaryote genome? # and %
1-10 copies (30-85%)
How many moderately repetitive copies can be found in a eukaryotic genome?
10-10^5
5-80%
How many highly repetitive copies can be found in a eukaryotic genome
> 10^5
50%
What do the moderately repetitive copies in a genome do?
-ribosomal proteins
-help in the cytoskeleton as actin or myosin
-transposable elements (make up 44% of the genome)
What do the highly repetitive copies in a genome do?
-are usually the functioning regions such as on centromeres and telomeres
-used for protection of DNA (non-coding)
-used for structurization and recombination
What are transposable elements?
LINES
What are LINES
They are non long terminal repeats which help with protection of the sequencing
What does LINES stand for?
-Stands for long interspersed nuclear elements
How many base pairs are in LINES?
How much of the genome do they make up?
-6-10 kb (6000-10,000 base pairs)
-20%
What are the subdivision of LINES
L1
L2
L3
What does L1 do?
-L1 is only active in mammals
-they have an internal promoter that is
recognized by RNA polymerase II
-they have two open reading frames: ORF1 and ORF2
What is the size of L1
-6 kb in size (6000 base pairs)
How many L1 can be found in the human genome
3000 and 5000 complete L1 elements
What is ORF1 and ORF2
-ORF1 encodes a nucleic acid-binding protein
-ORF2, which encodes a protein with endonuclease and reverse transcriptase activities
What happens in L1 transposition?
L1 transposition involves the transcription of a complete L1 element into RNA
and the reverse transcription of this RNA into DNA
Where does L1 transposition occur
Both processes take place in the nucleus
What happens before the L1 RNA is reverse transcribed
it journeys to the cytoplasm where it is translated into polypeptides that remain associated with it when it returns to the nucleus
What does the polypeptide encoded by ORF2 possess?
possesses an endonuclease function that catalyzes cleavage of one strand of the DNA
duplex at a prospective insertion site in a chromosome
What does the exposed 3′ end of the cleaved DNA strand serve as during transposition?
Serves as a primer for DNA synthesis using the L1 RNA as a template and the reverse transcriptase activity provided by the ORF2 polypeptide
How many copies of L2 and L3 do humans have?
L2= 315,000 copies
L3=37,000 copies
Both are inactive
What does SINES stand for?
short interspersed nuclear elements
How much of the genome do SINES make up?
13%
Second most abundant behind LINES
What do all retroposons have?
they have a sequence of A:T base pairs at one end
What do SINES do?
-transpose through a process that involves reverse transcription of an RNA that has been transcribed by RNA polymerase III from an internal promoter.
-do not code for anything; but good at moving things
What do SINES use as their reverse transcriptase?
the reverse transcriptase needed for
the synthesis of DNA from the SINE RNA is furnished by a LINE-type element
True or False.
SINES rely on the LINES to multiply and insert within the genome.
True
What is the only transpositionally active element found in SINES
Alu elements
What are Cut and Paste transposons?
-3% of genome
-not active
What are the 4 basic types of transposable elements found in the human genome?
LINEs,
SINEs,
retroviruslike elements
cut-and-paste transposons
True or False.
L1 LINE and the Alu SINE are the only transpositionally active transposons.
True
What do transposons have the ability to do?
the ability to change position in the genome—that is, they are mobile.
What percentage of the human genome is transposable?
44%
The coding region of a retroviruslike elements contain a small number of genes.
What are these three genes?
What do they code for?
gag=encodes a structural
protein of the virus capsule (glycoprotein)
pol= encodes a reverse transcriptase/
integrase protein (polymerase)
env=encodes a protein component of the virus envelope
What does LTR stand for?
long terminal repeats
What do LTRs do?
They are required for integration of the viral genome into the DNA of the host cell.
The initiation site for transcription of the viral genome.
What do you want in a centromere?
-Attachment and separation
-A-T rich (easily breakable)
-high copy number
At what stage do sister chromatids of the duplicated chromosome move to the opposite poles of a cell?
anaphase
The movement of sister chromatids to opposite poles depends on what?
This movement depends on the
attachment of spindle microtubules to the kinetochores
What are kinetochores
Complex protein structures associated with the centromeres of each of the sister chromatids