LEC: Nucleic Acids Flashcards
Parts of a nucleotide
Base, monosaccharide, phosphate
Which bases are classified as purine?
Adenine, Guanine
Which bases are classified as pyrimidine?
Cytosine, Thymine, Uracil
A compound that consists of D-ribose or 2-deoxy-D-ribose bonded to a purine or pyrimidine base by a -N-glycosidic bond
Nucleoside
A nucleoside in which a molecule of phosphoric acid is esterified with an –OH of the monosaccharide, most commonly either at the 3’or the 5’–OH.
Guanidine 3’-triphosphate (3’-GTP)
Nucleotide
serves as a common currency into which energy gained from food is converted and stored.
Adenosine 5’-triphosphate (ATP)
Identify the structure: the sequence of nucleotides, beginning with the nucleotide that has the free 5’ terminus.
primary
Identify the structure: The ordered arrangement of nucleic acid strands.
secondary
A type of 2° structure of DNA in which two polynucleotide strands are coiled around each other in a screw-like fashion
Double helix
DNA is coiled around proteins called ____
histones
T/F: histones are rich in acidic amino acids with negative charge
F. They are rich in basic amino acids with positive charge
The negatively-charged DNA molecules and positively-charged histones attract one another and form units called _____.
nucleosomes
A core of eight histone molecules around which the DNA helix is wrapped.
Nucleosome
Nucleosomes are further condensed into _____
chromatin
Chromatin fibers are organized into loops, and the loops into the bands that provide the superstructure of _____
chromosomes
Enumerate the 3 differences in the structure of DNA and RNA
(1) DNA bases are A, G, C, and T; the RNA bases are A, G, C, and U.
(2) The sugar in DNA is 2-deoxy-D-ribose; in RNA it is D-ribose.
(3) DNA is almost always double stranded; there are several kinds of RNA, all of which are single-stranded.
This RNA transports amino acids to site or protein synthesis
tRNA (transfer)
This RNA combines with proteins to form ribosomes, the site of protein synthesis
rRNA (ribosomal)
This RNA directs amino acid sequence of proteins
mRNA (messenger)
This RNA processes initial mRNA to its mature form in eukaryotes
snRNA (small nuclear)
This RNA affects gene expression; important in growth and development
miRNA (micro)
This RNA affects gene expression; used by scientists to knowck out a gene being studied
siRNA (small interfering)
A segment of DNA that carries a base sequence that directs the synthesis of a particular protein, tRNA, or mRNA.
Gene
A section of DNA that, when transcribed, codes for a protein or RNA.
Exon
A section of DNA that does not code for anything functional
Intron
T/F: in bacteria, the gene is continuous
T
T/F: in higher organisms, the gene is continuous
F. It is discontinuous
T/F: there is only 1 gene in a single DNA molecule
F. there are many
_____ may lead to new treatments for cancer, infectious diseases, and chronic illnesses.
Manipulating RNA
____ drugs are already on the market with more in stages of clinical trials.
RNA-based
Enumerate the 2 functions of DNA in the chromosome
(1) It reproduces itself. This process is called replication.
(2) It supplies the information necessary to make all the RNA and proteins in the body, including enzymes.
Replication begins at a point in the DNA called the origin of replication or a _____
replication fork
This reaction eliminates some of the positive charges on histones and weakens the strength of the DNA-histone interaction
acetylation-deacetylation of lysine residues on histones
_____ temporarily introduce either single- or double-strand breaks in DNA
Topoisomerases (also called gyrases)
Once the supercoiling is relaxed, the broken strands are joined together and the _____ diffuses from the location of the replication fork.
topoisomerase
Replication of DNA molecules starts with the _____ of the double helix which can occur at either end or in the middle.
unwinding
Special unwinding proteins called _____, attach themselves to one DNA strand and cause the separation of the double helix.
helicases
short—4 to 15 nucleotides long—RNA oligonucleotides synthesized from ribonucleoside triphosphates. They are needed to initiate the primase-catalyzed synthesis of both daughter strands.
Primers
The enzyme enables complementary base pairing with high specificity.
DNA polymerase
Millions of copies of selected DNA fragments can be made within a few hours with high precision by a technique called _____
polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
Identify the structure: Order of bases in the polynucleotide sequence
primary
Identify the structure: Three-dimensional conformation of the polynucleotide backbone
secondary
Identify the structure: Supercoiling of the molecule
Tertiary
Identify the structure: Interaction with other classes of macromolecules, such as proteins
quaternary
_____ or _____ bases bonded to sugars, which in turn are bonded to phosphate groups
Purine, pyrimidine
Nitrogen-containing aromatic compounds that make up the coding portion of nucleic acids
Nucleic acid bases
Compounds that contain a six-membered ring
Pyrimidine
Compounds that contain a six-membered ring fused to a five-membered ring
Purine
Parent compounds of adenine and guanine
Purine
Lacks phosphate group (Nucleoside or nucleotide)
Nucleoside
Considered the normal, physiological DNA form
B-DNA
Right-handed helix, with an inner diameter of 11Å
B-DNA
10 base pairs per turn of the helix
B-DNA
Right-handed helix but thicker than B-DNA
A-DNA
11 base pairs per turn of the helix
A-DNA
T/F: A-DNA are often found in in vivo techniques
F. A-DNA are not found in in vivo techniques
Left-handed double helix
Z-DNA
May play a role in the regulation of gene expression
Z-DNA
Occurs in nature and usually consists of alternating purine-pyrimidine bases
Z-DNA
Produced by flipping one side of the backbone 180˚ without disturbing the backbone covalent bonds or hydrogen bonds
Z-DNA