LAB #6: THE GENETIC MATERIAL

Question 1

What are Nucleic acids?

Answer 1

chemicals found in cells; they are composed of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, and phosphorus. They serve as information chemicals in cells.

Question 2

What’s Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)?

Answer 2

Its one of the nucleic acids, that has been called “the blueprint of life.”
It is a chemical found in all life forms, & contains the cell’s instructions for the production of proteins.

Question 3

What are Genes?

Answer 3

Sections of DNA that code for the production of proteins.

Question 4

What is DNA?

Answer 4

Genetic make-up for all organisms

Question 5

Where is DNA found?

Answer 5

In the Nucleus (“a sort of command center”)

Question 6

Whats Ribonucleic Acid (RNA)?

Answer 6

Its DNA chemical cousin;

It acts as a “middleman”in the protein construction process ,which happens outside the cell’s nucleus in the CYTOPLASM!

Question 7

What is transcription?

Answer 7

where the information from DNA is “rewritten” to form a kind of RNA called MESSENGER RNA (mRNA).

Question 8

What is mRNA?

Answer 8

it’s a chemical message telling the cell which protein subunits must be assembled in what order to produce a protein.
The mRNA leaves the nucleus to go to the site of protein construction && the DNA stays behind in the nucleus.

Question 9

What is transfer RNA (tRNA)?

Answer 9

Occurring in the cytoplasm of the cell, special RNA’s pick up the subunits of proteins, amino acids.
20 diferent amino acids, each unique tRNA

Question 10

Ribosomes are:

Answer 10

“protein factory”….
read coded message for protein construction carried by the mRNA in the process called TRASLATION, & they make sure proper amino acids are assembled in the correct sequence.

Question 11

What is a polypeptide?

Answer 11

A completed amino acid chain which is assembled together to build functional proteins.

Question 12

What is a Nucleotide?

Answer 12

(Nucleic acids are constructed from theses subunits)

It contains 3 parts: a phosphate group, a five-carbon sugar, & a nitrogen-containing base.

Question 13

DNA nucleotides have how any types of nitrogenous bases?

Answer 13

4
(2 of them have a single ring C & T)
(Other 2 have a double ring: A & G)

Question 14

How do RNA nucleotides differ from DNA nucleotides?

Answer 14

the sugar is different (the sugar is deoxyribose in DNA, whereas the sugar is ribose in RNA)
plus RNA nucleotides don’t have thymine as a base!!! RNA has uracil U!!!

Question 15

Individual nucleotides are connected together to make what?

Answer 15

Polynucleotide strand, that has a backbone where the phosphate groups and sugars alternate. The nitrogenous bases are connected to the sugars.

Question 16

RNA’s consists of only one strand of?

Answer 16

Nucleotides

Question 17

Pyrimidines (single-ring bases)

Answer 17

Cytosine, Thymine, & Uracil (RNA)

Question 18

Purines (double-ring bases)

Answer 18

Adenine & Guanine

Question 19

What is a double helix?

Answer 19

The 3-D structure of DNA, where 2 spirals twist around each other like a twisted rope ladder.

Question 20

What are complementary bases?

Answer 20

A certain nitrogenous base in DNA that will bond to certain others. A goes with T, G goes with C

Question 21

DNA copying is called?

Answer 21

REPLICATION

Question 22

Double Helix Structure:

Answer 22

(IN A NUCLEOTIDE)
Bases=in center
Sugars= Pentagon darker/Backbone
Phosphate=white circles/backbone

Question 23

In most human cells DNA make up how many chromosomes?

Answer 23

46

Question 24

Actively dividing somatic cells have a cell cycle that is comprised of?

Answer 24

mitotic phases and an interphase (which are continuous processes)

Question 25

A cell that shows a clearly defined nucleus with chromatin granules (DNA) is a cell in what?

Answer 25

INTERPHASE

Question 26

Interphase is

Answer 26

a time of cellular activity between cell divisions

It is the longest phase of the cell cycle!!!!

Question 27

What is Nucleoi?

Answer 27

A spherical structure located within the nucleus

It’s involved in making the ribosomes of the cell.

Question 28

What is the centromere?

Answer 28

Where the chromatids of each original chromosome are uncoiled in the S sub-phase but are attached to each other at a region of the DNA

Question 29

What’s the purpose of Mitosis?

Answer 29

To provide copies of DNA for daughter cells during cell reproduction.
(prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase/cytokinesis)

Question 30

What is cytokinesis?

Answer 30

The division of the cytoplasm

Question 31

What does Mitosis end with?

Answer 31

Telophase and cytokinesis where there will be 2 cells formed and each one will have a copy of the DNA from the parent cell.
This DNA is identical: both daughter cells will have the same genes!

Question 32

What are Genes?

Answer 32

genetic codes for the production of polypeptides which are then used to construct proteins.

Question 33

Chromosomes contain _________ && ________contains genes.

Answer 33

DNA

Question 34

What are Variable Number Tandem Repeats (VNTRs)?

Answer 34

introns composed of repeating DNA

These vary in people (identical twins have same exact DNA)

Question 35

What has DNA fingerprinting been used for?

Answer 35

Paternity suites and criminal cases

Question 36

Whats Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP)?

Answer 36

commonly called DNA fingerprinting; Where DNA is isolated from a cell, then cut into fragments using special chemicals, then these variable length fragments can be separated by size.

Question 37

When a person has a lot of repeats in their introns, the sizes of their DNA framents will be

Answer 37

LONGER

Question 38

Electrophoresis?

Answer 38

Where individual fragments are separated through this process
The DNA sample is placed near the edge of a gel which is placed in an electrical field.
LARGER FRAGMENTS MOVE MORE SLOWLY THROUGH GEL

Question 39

DNA is ________Charged?

Answer 39

Negatively

Question 40

___________ fragments move further down in electrophoresis?

Answer 40

SHORTER