Molecualr Genetics Flashcards
What is the chemical make up of DNA?
Sugar phosphate backbone with nitrogenous bases:
- thymine
- adenine
- cytosine
- guanine
Which carbons attach to the phosphates in the backbone of DNA
Carbon 3 and carbon 5 which make the 3 prime and 5 prime end
Where does replication of DNA begin?
Origins of replication where the 2 DNA strands are separated, opening up a replication “bubble”. Replication goes both ways from the bubble
What is the replication fork?
Located at the end of the replication bubble a y shaped region where new DNA stands are elongated
What can DNA polymerase not do?
Initiate synthesis of a polynucleotide; they can only add nucleotides to the 3’ end
What is the initial nucleotide strand?
Short rna primer
What do Enzymes called DNA polymerase do?
Catalyze the elongation of new DNA at a replication fork
What is the rate of elongation?
About 50 per second I’m human cells
How many h bond in a g-c bond? A-t?
G-c 3 a-t 2
What a Okazaki fragments?
The lagging strand synthesizes a series of segments called Okazaki fragments which are joined together by DNA ligase
What do DNA polymerase do?
Proofread newly made DNA, replacing any incorrect nucleotides
What can damage DNA?
Chemicals, radioactive emission, x-rays, uv light, certain molecules (cigarette smoke)
What’s the difference between a bacterial chromosome and a eukaryotic chromosome?
Bacterial is circular and eukaryotic is linear. They both have a large amount of protein though
What’s is chromatin and where is it found?
It is a complex of DNA and protein and is found in eukaryotic cells
What is a histone?
Proteins that are responsible for the first level of DNA packing in chromatin
Describe the forming of chromatin
Starts with 10nm fibre, DNA wind around histone to form nucleosome “beads” on a string of DNA. Then 30 nm fibre is formed be interactions between nucleosomes cause the thin fibre to coil or fold into this thicker fibre. Then 300 nm fibre is formed by the 30nm fibre forms looped domains that attach to proteins. Last the mars phase chromosome is formed by coiling fort her and ending with a width of 700nm
What is the link between genotype and phenotype?
Proteins
What is gene expression and what are the 2 stages of it?
The process by which DNA directs protein synthesis. Transcription and translation
What is the intermediate between genes and the proteins they code?
RNA
What is transcription?
The synthesis of RNA Under the direction of DNA