Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

Biology > Macromolecules II (nucleic acids) > Flashcards

Macromolecules II (nucleic acids) Flashcards

1
Q

The amino acid sequence of a polypeptide is programmed by a unit of inheritance known as a ______

A

The amino acid sequence of a polypeptide is programmed by a unit of inheritance known as a gene

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Genes consist of DNA which is a polymer belonging to the class of compounds known as ________

A

Genes consist of DNA which is a polymer belonging to the class of compounds known as nucleic acids

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What are the two types of nucleic acids?

A
  • deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
  • ribonucleic acid (RNA)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What are nucleic acids

A

These are the molecules that permit living organisms to reproduce their complex components from one generation to the next

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

DNA is the physical carrier of inheritance for what percentage of living organisms?

A

DNA is the physical carrier of inheritance for 99% of living organisms

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Chromosome

A

a chromosome is a very long DNA molecule and associated proteins, that carry portions of the hereditary information of an organism

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is a chromosome formed from?

A

A chromosome is formed from a single DNA molecule that contains many genes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Gene

A

a region of DNA that controls a hereditary characteristic

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Genes usually correspond to a ________ (____________) that encodes the production of a specific protein or RNA or regulates the transcription of such sequence.

A

usually corresponds to a sequence (of nucleotides on a chromosome) that encodes the production of a specific protein or RNA or regulates the transcription of such sequence.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Flow of genetic information

A

DNA –> RNA –> protein

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Nucleotides

A

The monomers of nucleic acids

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Composition of a nucleotide

A
  1. A nitrogenous base
  2. A pentose (five-carbon sugar)
  3. A phosphate group
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

List the nitrogenous bases (pyrimidines and purines)

A

Pyriminidines:
- Cycosine (C)
- THymine (in DNA) (T)
- Uracil (in RNA) (U)
Purines:
- Adenine (A)
- Guanine (G)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Pentose sugar

A

Ribose (OH on number 2 carbon)
Deoxyribose (H on number 2 carbon)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Nucleotides - reffer to how

A

refer to each nucleotide by the name of its nitrogenous base rather than by its proper nucleoside monophosphate name

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Nucleic acid polymer

A

Polynucleotide

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

How are nucleotides joined

A

nucleotides are joined by covalent bonds called phosphodiester linkages between the phosphate of one nucleotide and the sugar of the next

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

A gene

A

a region of DNA that controls a hereditary characteristic

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

A chromosome is formed from what

A

A chromosome is formed from a single DNA molecule that contains many genes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Why is the number of possible base sequences is effectively limitless

A

Because genes are hundreds to thousands of nucleotides long

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

DNA stucture

A

Consists of two polynucleotides that spiral around an imaginary axis to form a double helix

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

How are the two DNA stands held together:
1. between the base paids (and why is this beneficial)
2. between th stacked base pairs

A
  1. held together by hydrogen bonds between the paired bases (strong enough to hold them together but weak enough that they can be seperated during DNA replication)
  2. held together by van der Walls attractions between the stacked base pairs
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

DNA base pairing - what’s compatible with what

A

Adenine (A) always pairs with thymine (T)
Guanine (G) always pairs with cytosine (C)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What can be said about the two strands of the double helix

A

they are complementary

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
DNA replication | steps 3
1. seperation of the two DNA strnads 2. each parent strand now serves as a template that determine the order of mucleotides along a new complemenary strand (A-->T, G-->C) 3. The nucleotides are connected to form the form the sugar phosphate backbones of the new strands. Each daughter DNA molecule consists of one parental strand and one new strand
26
Each gene carries information needed to make a specific _____
Each gene carries information needed to make a specific **protein**
27
The information content of DNA, the genetic material, is in the form of specific sequences of ________ along the ________
The information content of DNA, the genetic material, is in the form of specific sequences of **nucleotides** along the **DNA strands**
28
Genes carry information that determines the ________ structure of the protein
Genes carry information that determines the **primary** structure of the protein
28
What are protein's monomers (#amount)
Proteins are made up of monomers called **amino acids**
29
number and sequence of the aa’s = _______ --> controls _________ --> ________
number and sequence of the aa’s = **primary structure --> controls shape --> function**
30
# True or false Each protein has its own unique sequence
True
31
What is present in DNA and RNA 1. Phosphate 2. Sugar 3. Nitrogenous base 4. Strands
1. Phosphate --> **yes** 2. Sugar --> **DNA: Deoxyribose ; RNA: Ribose** 3. Nitrogenous base --> **For both: A, G, C - DNA - T, RNA, U** 4. Strands --> **DNA: double stranded ; RNA: single standed**
32
Genes are typically hundreds or thousands of ________ long, each gene having a specific sequence of _________.
Genes are typically hundreds or thousands of **nucleotides** long, each gene having a specific sequence of **bases**.
33
What are the monomers of polypeptides (#)
20 amino acids
34
Transciption
Transcription is the **synthesis of mRNA under the direction of DNA**
35
What can be said about the language of DNA and mRNA in transcription
Both nucleic acids use the same language, and the information is simply transcribed, or copied, from one molecule to another
36
mRNA: full name and reason
**messenger RNA** because it carries a genetic message from the DNA to the protein-synthesizing machinery of the cell.
37
Translation
Translation is the actual synthesis of a polypeptide, which occurs under the direction of mRNA.
38
Change in language in translation
the cell must translate the base sequence of the mRNA molecule into the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide
39
Site of translation and what they are
Ribosomes (complex particles that assist the orderly linking of amino acids into polypeptide chains)
40
Once the mRNA molecule is transcribed, it undergoes some ________ and exits the ________ through _________
Once the mRNA molecule is transcribed, it undergoes some **modification** and exits the **nucleus** through **nuclear pore**
41
How many nucleotides code for 1 amino acid
**3 nucleotides code for 1 amino acid**
42
How many codons are there
64
43
How many of the 64 codons code for amino acids
61 of the 64
44
During transcription: the gene determines the sequence of _____, along the length of an ______ molecule
the gene determines the sequence of **base triplets**, along the length of an **mRNA** molecule
45
For each gene, only ___________ DNA strands is transcribed. This strand is called _______
For each gene, only **one of the two** DNA strands is transcribed. This strand is called the **template strand**
46
name of the mRNA base triplets
Codons
47
During translation, the sequence of codons along an mRNA molecule is ________ or ________ into a sequence of ____________ making up a __________ chain
during translation, the sequence of codons along an mRNA molecule is **decoded or translated** into a sequence of **amino acids** making up a **polypeptide** chain.
48
Each codon along the mRNA specifies which one of the 20 ________ will be incorporated at the corresponding position along a polypeptide
Each codon along the mRNA specifies which one of the 20 **amino acids** will be incorporated at the corresponding position along a polypeptide
49
Because codons are base triplets, the number of nucleotides making up a genetic message must be ____________the number of amino acids making up the protein product
Because codons are base triplets, the number of nucleotides making up a genetic message must be **three times** the number of amino acids making up the protein product
50
Interpreter of translation
tRNA
51
The function of tRNA is to transfer amino acids from the ________ pool to a ________
The function of tRNA is to transfer amino acids from the **cytoplasm's amino acid** pool to a **ribosome**
52
Functions of tRNA | (2)
1. To chemically link to a particular amino acid (with a covalent bond) 2. To recognize a specific codon in mRNA (non-covalent) so that its attached amino acid can be added to a growing peptide chain
53
A cell keeps its cytoplasm stocked with all 20 amino acids, either by ____________ or by _____________
A cell keeps its cytoplasm stocked with all 20 amino acids, either by **synthesizing them from other compounds** or by **taking them up from surrounding solution**
54
What does tRNA carry
tRNA carries the **proper amino acid to the ribosome** when the codons call for them.
55
Each tRNA molecule is approximately ________ long and has a 3-D conformation, due to stretches of ________ that can hydrogen bond together.
Each tRNA molecule is approximately **80 nucleotides** long and has a 3-D conformation, due to stretches of **complimentary bases** that can hydrogen bond together.
56
What is at one end of the a tRNA
The **anticodon** (the compliment of the codon)
57
# Name corresponding anticodon and DNA template for this codon AAG
anticodon: **UUC** DNA template: **TTC**
58
# Name corresponding anticodon and DNA template for this codon GGU
anticodon: **CCA** DNA template: **CCA**
59
# Name corresponding anticodon and DNA template for this codon GUA
anticodon: **CAU** DNA template: **CAT**
60
Composition of ribosomes
Ribosomes are composed of **individual ribosomal RNA (rRNA) molecules** and more than 50 accessory proteins.
61
Rate of protein synthesis by a ribosome
3-5 amino acids/minute
62
Both ________ and ________ are informational polymers with linear sequences of monomers (nucleotides and amino acids)
Both **nucleic acids** and **proteins** are informational polymers with linear sequences of monomers (nucleotides and amino acids)
63
Transcription is the making of an ________ molecule off a ________ template
Transcription is the making of an **RNA** molecule off a **DNA** template
64
Translation is the construction of _________ (______) from an ________ molecule.
Translation is the construction of an **amino acid sequence (polypeptide)** from an **RNA** molecule.

Biology (12 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions