Molecular Genetics Flashcards
S-Strain
Highly pathogenic but can be made non-pathogenic by heating it up (mouse dies when injected).
R-Strain
Non-pathogenic (mouse lived when injected).
Protease
Enzyme that destroys protein
RNase
Enzyme that destroys RNA
DNase
Enzyme that destroys DNA (mouse lives when injected.
Bacteriophages
Viruses that infect bacteria, used to confirm that DNA is hereditary material. Structurally simple, inner nucleic acid core and outer protein core.
Chargaff’s Rule
Variations in the composition of nucleotides among species. All DNA maintain certain properties, the amount of thymine = adenine, amount of cytosine = guanine.
Purines
Adenine, guanine (2 fused rings)
Pyrimidines
Thymine, cytosine (single rings) (RNA uracil)
Chromosome condensation
Nuclear envelope breakdown. Occurs at the end of G2 phase of replication.
Chromosome decondensation
Reformation of nuclear envelopes.Occurs in cytokinesis.
Phases of DNA replication
Initiation, elongation, termination
Initiation Phase (DNA Replication)
A portion of DNA double helix is unwound to expose the bases for new base pairings.
- Replication starts at origin of replication
- Several initiator proteins bind to DNA and begin unwinding double helix
- Creates an unwound, even-shaped area called a replication bubble
- Creates two y-shaped regions called replication forks at the end of each unwound area
Elongation Phase (DNA Replication)
Two new strands of DNA are assembled using the parent DNA as a template. The new DNA molecules - each composed of one strand of parent DNA and one strand of daughter DNA, forms into double helices.
- Synthesises new DNA strands by joining free nucleotides together
Termination Phase (DNA Replication)
Replication process is completed and the two new DNA molecules separate from each other. At that point the replication machine is dismantled.
Helicase
Enzyme involved in the unwinding process. Helices cleave together the hydrogen bonds that link complementary structures together.
Single Stranded Binding Proteins (SSBP)
Help to stabilise the newly unwound single strands, otherwise strands would reform the double helix. Serve as templates that will be used to guide the synthesis of new polynucleotide strands.
Topisomerase
Enzyme that helps to relieve the strain on the double helix sections ahead of the replication forms. Result from unwinding process.
DNA polymerase III
Enzyme that catalyses the addition of new nucleotides, one at a time, to create a strand of DNA complementary to a parental strand.
- Only attaches new nucleotides to the free 3’ hydroxyl end of a pre-existing chain of nucleotides
- Synthesises a new strand from this parent strand in the 5’-> 3’ towards the replication fork
- Synthesises new DNA from parent strand that does not have free 3’ hydroxyl end (AKA lagging strand)
RNA Primer
Short strand of RNA that binds and begins the synthesis of lagging strands.
- Complementary to a section of the parent DNA being copied
- New primers must be added as replication proceeds
Primerase
Enzyme that synthesises RNA primer.