Lesson 6 Terms Flashcards
Adenine
The base that pairs with Thymine in DNA
Anabolism
when organisms make compounds needed by the cells
Anticodon
The nucleotide sequences on tRNA
Base Pairs
The “rungs” of the DNA ladder
- Adenine and thymine always pair together
- Guanine and cytosine always pair together
Catabolic Process
a series of pathways where molecules are broken down into smaller bits and energy is released
Central Dogma of Molecular Biology
the 3-step process of protein synthesis:
A. DNA replication
B. RNA transcription
C. Protein translation
Chromatin
The complex of DNA and histones
Chromosome
Coils of DNA are bundled up into organized structures
Codon
Nucleotides in mRNA are found in triplets, or groups of 3s
Cytosine
The base that pairs with Guanine with DNA
Double helix
Shape of DNA
DNA polymerase
the enzyme recognizes the nitrogen bases and adds the missing ones to each side of the “unzipped” DNA (adenine pairs with thymine and guanine with cytosine) to create two complete strands of DNA
DNA replication
When cells divide, the DNA replicates so each cell can have a copy of DNA
Francis Crick
scientists who, in 1953, discovered the shape of DNA: the double helix
Gene
a segment of DNA that codes for a specific protein or specific strand of RNA
Genome
the complete collection of a cell’s DNA genetic material
Guanine
The base that pairs with Cytosine in DNA
Helicase
An enzyme that “unzips” the double helix of DNA, separating each base pair
Histone
DNA is wrapped around proteins called histones which package up DNA more compactly
Homologous chromosomes
Pair of chromosomes that are the same size, same appearance and same genes.
Human Genome Project
A massive collaboration of scientists to map out and identify all the genes in human DNA
James Watson
scientists who, in 1953, discovered the shape of DNA: the double helix
Metabolism
the combination of chemical reactions through which an organism builds up or breaks down materials
mRNA
messenger RNA
Nucleotides
Nucleotides
makes up DNA; consists of 3 smaller units - a nitrogen base, a simple sugar, and a phosphate group
Protein translation
the process in which the genetic code in mRNA is used to assemble amino acids in the correct sequence to make a protein
RNA transcription
- The segment of DNA that’s needed is located.
- That segment of DNA is untwisted and unzipped to expose the base pairs.
- RNA is made by connecting the correct nitrogen bases (uracil with adenine and guanine with cytosine) to the half-strand of DNA.
- The RNA is unzipped from the DNA.
- The DNA zips back together to its original shape.
- The RNA transcribed in this process is called mRNA, or messenger RNA.
rRNA
rRNA
ribosomal RNA; involved in protein translation. rRNA’s job is to move the mRNA along as protein translation takes place.
Thymine
The base that pairs with Adenine in DNA
tRNA
transfer RNA; assists in protein translation by transferring amino acids from other places in the cell to the ribosomes.