Microbio Chapter 8- Microbial Genetics Flashcards
What are genes?
Segments of DNA that code for functional products
What are the functional products?
RNA and proteins
What are the types of RNA?
rRNA
tRNA
mRNA
What is DNA?
A polynucleotide
What is a polynucleotide?
Combination of nucleotides connected through covalent bonds
Why is DNA complementary in nature?
Because of the specific base pairing
-The base sequence of one DNA strand determines the base sequence of the other strand
What are the nitrogenous base pairs?
A-T
C-G
How are paired DNA strands oriented?
Anti parallel
What is Antiparallel?
They run in opposite directions. One strand of the double helix is upside down.
Why is the sugar of the one strand upside-down?
So the paired bases can be next and close to each other
and for Stability
What is semiconservative replication?
When an original strand is conserved and 1 new one is added
What is a replication fork?
The point at which replication occurs
What is a leading strand?
Is synthesised continuously and in same direction as the replication fork
5’ - 3’
What is a lagging strand?
Synthesised discontinuously in fragments
Strand opens in 3’ - 5’ direction
What is the first enzyme used in DNA replication?
Helicase
What is Helicase?
Unwinds/unzips double-stranded DNA
What is the second enzyme used in DNA replication?
Gyrase
What is Gyrase?
Relaxes supercoiling
What is Primase?
aka RNA polymerase
-makes RNA primers from a DNA template
-Acts as a guide to know where new nucleotides need to be built
What occurs on the leading strand during replication?
DNA polymerase picks up nucleotides from cytoplasm, proof reads them and attaches complimentary bases to the strand
What occurs on the lagging strand during replication?
Primase (RNA primer) is added constantly because of the 3’-5’ direction and then RNA polymerase forms short strand of primer, then DNA polymerase adds new nucleotides in short fragments
What are the fragments of the lagging strand called?
Okazaki fragments
How is the gap filled/Okazaki fragments joined together?
Enzyme: DNA ligase
What does Semiconservative replication require?
Lots of ATP
-Supplied from nucleotides