lecture 2 - RNA

Question 1

differences between RNA and DNA

Answer 1

-RNA has ribose, DNA has deoxyribose
-RNA is single stranded, DNA is double stranded
-RNA has uracil not thymine

Question 2

is DNA or RNA more unstable and why

Answer 2

-RNA is more unstable
-because RNA has a ribose instead of deoxyribose an ribose is more unstable
-ribose has a phosphate on carbon 5 but the carbon 2 has a hydroxyl group whereas deoxyribose has a phosphate on carbon 5 and a hydrogen attached to carbon 2

Question 3

what does RNA being more unstable mean

Answer 3

-RNA is in the nucleus for less time

Question 4

components of RNA

Answer 4

-ribose
-phosphate group
-nitrogenous bases - adenine, guanine, cytosine and uracil

Question 5

properties of RNA

Answer 5

-RNA is single stranded
-uracil replaces thymine in RNA
-RNA sequence comes from its DNA
-RNA carries genetic information
-RNA is always shorter than DNA
-RNA can form hairpin structures
-RNA is less stable than DNA but you still require it to have a degree of stability so that it can carry out its function in the nucleus or within the cytoplasm of the cell
-so in order to give it some longevity the RNA forms hairpin structures so this allows it to be able to function within the eukaryotic cell

Question 6

mRNA properties

Answer 6

-it is the RNA that is made during transcription
-can be very long
-single stranded
-the stability is through the complex domains, allowing this RNA transcript to remain in the nucleus allowing it to be transported and translated during RNA processing
-mRNA can be very long it depends on the size of the gene that the RNA transcript has been made from
-has 4 domains

Question 7

importance of the domains in mRNA

Answer 7

-each one is important in keeping the stability of the RNA
-increasing the longevity of it
-the shorter the RNA transcript the smaller the domains, the less time the RNA will remain in the nucleus before it is degraded

Question 8

tRNA properties and importance

Answer 8

-important in bringing the amino acids towards the ribosome during translation
-has several loops
-the acceptor stem is where the amino acid will bind which is coded for by the anticodon
-single stranded molecule, stability of tRNA especially when moving through into the cytoplasm is through pailing of the stem between the loops