Midterm Topics: Nucleic Acids

Question 1

What are the monomers and polymer of nucleic acids?

Answer 1

Monomer: Nucleotides
Polymers: DNA and RNA

Question 2

What is the jobs of the 5 Carbons sugar legs?

Answer 2

1. Holds Nitrogenous Base
2. Tells weather DNA (H) or RNA (OH)
3. Elongates chain (always OH)
4. Closes loop
5. Binds Phosphate

Question 3

How do the polymers of nucleic acids differ from eachother?

Answer 3

DNA:
- Double Stranded (Double Helix)
- Nitrogenous Bases: GCAT
- DNA has H on leg 2 of 5CS
- Lives in a cells nucleus
RNA:
- Single Stranded
- Nitrogenous Bases: GCAU
- RNA has OH on leg 2 of 5CS

Question 4

Why was protein thought to convey genetic information?

Answer 4

Protein seemed more likely since it had a more complex structure then DNA (20 building blocks)

Question 5

What is the Griffith Experiment? Major findings?

Answer 5

• Experiment where they injected 2 strains of viruses “R” and “S”
• “S” was lethal and the “Virulent”
• “R” was harmless
• The “S” strain had a covering surrounding it that tricked the immune system and prevented it from getting killed like the “R” strain
• Injected with the heat killed “S” and live “R” and mouse died
• He concluded that something passed from the killed “S” into the live “R” and it got transformed into the pathogenic “S” strain

Question 6

What is the Avery Experiment? Major findings?

Answer 6

• Experiment that tested weather protein, DNA or RNA is the heritable macromolecule
• They killed 1 at a time using enzymes (RNase. DNase, Protease)
• DNA is what was laterally transfered
  
  • When the DNA gets destroyed the “S” strain identity cant transfer to the “R” strina
  • Without DNA the animal will live, the chart shows if we breakdown DNA the harmful “S” identity cant go into the “R”

Question 7

What is the Hershey and Chase Experiment? Major Findings?

Answer 7

• Was an experiment that used bacteriophages to demonstrate that DNA was the genetic material
• They used radioactively labeled amino acids and DNA to track where they went (if they were injected or not)
• Then they measured the extracellular radioactivity levels (to determine which was injected)
• When radioactive DNA produced new phages with the DNA being radioactive they knew DNA was the genetic material

Question 8

What are phages?

Answer 8

• Protein coated capsule that can be filed with something
• infect host cells by attaching and injecting the filled material

Question 9

How do virsuses work?

Answer 9

• They infect a host cell, let their DNA or RNA in then it forces the host cell to reproduce virus cells