IMMS Flashcards
what is the largest membrane bound organelle
nucleus
function and structure of the nucleus
- stores and transmits genetic info for protein production
- home of DNA
- membrane bound, membrane has pores to allow passage of RNA out the pores
what is chromatin
a mass of genetic material - DNA and proteins
condenses into chromosomes during mitosis
function and structure of Golgi body apparatus
- parallel stacks of membrane
- processes and modifies macromolecules produced in the ER
- located close to the nucleus
main sections of the golgi-body and their functions
3
- cis-face: nuclear facing and receives products from the ER
- medial: modifies products by adding sugars → production of complex oligosaccharides
- trans-face: proteolysis of peptides into active forms and budding off of vesicles containing complete products
structure and function of smooth ER
- highly folded and flattened membrane sheet
- site of lipid synthesis
structure and function of rough ER
- highly folded flat membrane sheets WITH ribosomes attached to surface
- site of protein synthesis and modification
- closely associated with the nucleus
structure and function of ribosomes
- 2 subunits attached to the RER
- small =40s. Large =60s
- translates genetic code from RNA → a chain of amino acids which then fold into primary proteins
- deposits the protein into the RER for further modification
cytoplasm function and key components
- site of glycolysis
- fluid that fills the cell
- 3 components
- cytoskeleton and thier motor proteins
- organelles
- dissolved solute
structure and function of mitochondria
- double membrane organelle
- inner membrane = respiratory chain/electron transport chain and Krebs cycle within the matrix
- outer membrane = lipid synthesis and fatty acid metabolism
- intermembranous space = nucleotide synthesis
- site of oxidative phosphorylation for ATP production
location, structure and function of nucleolus
- in the nucleus
- NOT membrane bound
- site of DNA transcription
- forms ribosomal RNA
structure and function of vesicles
- membrane bound transport organelles
- many types:
- cell derived, golgi, ER, derived
- lysosomes and peroxisomes
structure and function of vacuole
- membrane bound semi-permeable chamber
- holds solutions or materials
- only lets specific molecules through
types and functions of cell junctions
-
tight junctions
- seals neighbouring cells together to prevent leakage
-
adherens
- joins an actin bundle in one cell to another in another cells
-
desmosomes
- joins intermediate filaments in one cell to a neighbour
-
gap junctions
- allows passage of small water-soluble ions and molecules and electrical impulses
-
hemi-desmosomes
- anchor intermediate filaments to the basal lamina
plasma membrane structure and function
- phospholipid bilayer
- hydrophobic tail, hydrophilic head
- contains protein channel and transporters
- forms a physical barrier and controls entry of specific molecules only = selective permeability.
components of the phospholipid bilayer
- membrane proteins
- cholesterol
- carbohydrate groups
- both attach to form glycoproteins and glycolipids
- phoshpolipids
- phosphate and glycerol head with 2 fatty acid tails and a phosphate
structural components within a cell and their sizes
-
microtubules
- 25nm
- e.g. tubulin
- found in all cells except RBCs
- involved in mitosis, cell motility, intracellular transport, and maintenance of cell shape.
-
intermediate filaments
- 10nm
- anchored transmembrane proteins
- provide structural support, regulate key signaling pathways
-
microfilaments
- 5nm
- assist with cell movement and are made of actin
smallest and largest structural cell components
largest = microtubules
smallest= microfilaments
structure and function of centrosome
- made from 2 centrioles which are microtubule rings
- pull chromatids apart during mitosis/meiosis
lysosome structure and function
- golgi-derived - membrane bound organelle
- contain digestive enzymes
- used as a waste disposal system to breakdown molecules
what is an peroxisome
- small membrane bound organelle
- contain enzymes that oxidise long-chain fatty acids
- involved in the generation of ATP from fatty acids
- involved in ROS detoxification
what is an endosome and its function
- golgi-derived - membrane bound organelle
- they receive material from outside the cell and sort them
describe DNA structure and how it is stored
DNA is a double helix structure with complimentary base pairing
it is stored by the helices coiling around histones to form nucleosomes which coil further → super coils → chromosomes
how many chromosomes are there
46 in total - 23 pairs
- 22 autosome pairs
- 1 pair of sex chromosomes
define karyotype
the number and appearance of chromosomes in a cell - arranged in size order
describe the DNA found in mitochondria
maternal
describe a chromosome
2 identical chromatids joined together in the middle by a centromere
difference between prokaryotes and eukaryotes
- Eukaryotes have a membrane-bound nucleus, prokaryotes do not
- Eukaryotes strore their DNA within the nucleus, prokaryotes have theirs in a nucleoid region of the cell
what does DNA stand for
deoxyribonucleic acid
what are the building blocks for DNA
nucleotides
what are nucleotides / nucleic acids made of
- nitrogenous base
- Deoxyribose sugar
- phosphate group
- base
how do the nucleotides join together, what bond is formed
- via the phosphate groups in the nucleotide → formation of the sugar-phosphate backbone.
- a phosphodiester bond holds the molecules together.
what are the types of bases
- adenine
- thymine
- cytosine
- guanine
- uracil
which bases pair up together
AT
GC
AU (in RNA)
what are the main enzymes involved in DNA replication
- DNA topoisomerase
- DNA helicase
- DNA primase
- DNA polymrease
- DNA ligase
describe the steps of DNA replication
- before DNA replication starts, topoisomerase enzyme unwinds DNA
- DNA helicase then breaks the hydrogen bonds between the base pairs → 2 seperate strands
- single strand binding protein binds to the exposed base pairs to prevent rejoining with its original base pair.
- DNA primase uses the DNA sequence on the parent strand to form a primer from RNA
-
DNA polymerase synthesises the new strand using free floating nucleotides and proof reads the DNA as it replicates
- polymerase can only build in the direction of 5’ → 3’ [3-5 on parent] hence this is the leading strand
- the lagging strand has its DNA produced in okazaki fragments which are glued together by DNA ligase
- RNA primers are removed from each fragment of the lagging stand then glued together by ligase to form a complete strand.
- termination occurs when the replication forks meet or there is no more DNA to copy.
- 2 new DNA molecules formed each with 1 new and 1 old strand = semi-conservative replication
functions of DNA polymerase
- extension of the new DNA strand
- proof reads as it goes to avoid errors
- fills in gaps in new DNA strand between okazaki fragments
differences between DNA and RNA
- DNA=deoxyribose sugar RNA=ribose sugar
- same bases except uracil replaces thymine in RNA
- DNA is double stranded RNA is single stranded
- RNA is shorter than DNA
what is transcription
synthesis of mRNA from the template strand of DNA via the action of RNA polymerase
describe the steps of DNA transcription
-
Initiation
- transcription factors bind to the promoter region of genes to be copied for mRNA synthesis
- RNA polymerase attaches to the DNA molecule and moves along till it finds a promotor sequence.
- once at the sequence it unwinds the DNA to expose the bases of each DNA strand.
- one DNA strand = antisense which is used as the template to produce mRNA - 3’-5’
- the other = sense and should be identical to the mRNA produced except for uracil replacing thymine
-
Elongation
- RNA polymerase moves along DNA 3’→5’ and produces mRNA 5’→3’ from free floating ribonucleotides.
- RNA polymerase catalyses the production of phosphodiester bonds between the nucleotides
- as RNA polymerase moves along, it zips the DNA strands back together so only 10-20 bases are exposed at once in the transcription bubble
- RNA polymerase moves along DNA 3’→5’ and produces mRNA 5’→3’ from free floating ribonucleotides.
-
Termination
- once RNA polymerase reaches a stop codon, transcription ends and it releases the DNA template stand
-
Modification
- the pre-mRNA molecule undergoes splicing in the spliceosome
- this removes introns [non-coding] and leaves only introns [coding]
- the mature mRNA leaves the nucleus through the nuclear pores
1.
what 3 components are required for DNA translation
ribosomes
tRNA
mRNA
what is tRNA
a molecule carrying an amino acid, with an anticodon region that it complimentary to mRNA
describe the stages of translation
-
Initiation
- the 5’ end of mRNA codes for methionine. the mRNA and tRNA-methionine bind to the 40s ribosome.
- Then the 60s ribosome binds to the tRNA-methionine to complete the initiation complex
-
Elongation
- the tRNA-methionine lies within the A site of the ribosome, it shifts to the P site and a new tRNA molecule enters the A site.
- methionine bonds to the next amino acid and releases itself from tRNA → formation of a peptide chain. the empty tRNA leaves the ribosome through the E site.
- the ribosome translocates along the mRNA molecule producing a longer and longer peptide chain
-
Termination
- translation ends once the stop codon on mRNA is reached.
- no tRNA molecule binds to the ribosome at this point → the dissociation of the peptide chain and mRNA from the ribosome
- the peptide chain is released into the cytoplasm to undergo further modification in the cell.
what is the start codon and where is it located
AUG
located on the 5’ end
what are the sites in a ribosome
A site: Accepts new tRNA molecules
P site: holds the tRNA in place for Peptide chain formation
E site: Exit site
how does DNA damage occur
mutations in DNA
physical breaks in the molecule
what causes DNA damagee
- spotaneous damage
- environmental factors
- radiation e.g. UV
- thermal
- mutagenic chemicals
- viruses
types of mutations
- deletion mutations
- splice-site mutations
- mis-sense mutations
- non-sense mutations
- trinucleotide repeat mutations
what is a point mutation and what types are there
- a mutation of a single nucleotide
- can result in:
- silent mutations where the change doesn’t affect the AA coded for
- non-sense mutations where the change → stop codon early in the sequence
- mis-sense where the change → different AA coded which may or may not → pathology
types of deletion mutations
- out of frame deletions
- 1 or 2 base deletions → frameshift
- the reading frame is disrupted, all codoons after the mutation are altered → non-functional protein
- in-frame deletions
- an entire codon is lost → loss of 1 AA
- 1 missing AA usually → mild consequences to protein function.