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PB Biology💜 > Molecular Genetics > Flashcards

Molecular Genetics Flashcards

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AP® Biology flashcards Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

What are the building blocks of DNA?

A

Adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C), and guanine (G).

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2
Q

Describe the structure of DNA (shape, molecules that connect, etc.).

A

It is a double helix (2 strands of nucleotides), it is a spiral-shape. Phosphate backbone connects to sugar (deoxyribose), which connects to a nucleotide.

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3
Q

What are the base pairs that form DNA?

A

T-A (thymine pairs with adenine), G-C (guanine pairs with cytosine), A-T, C-G.

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4
Q

What type of bond connects the base pairs?

A

A hydrogen bond.

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5
Q

Hydrogen bonds are (weaker/stronger) than covalent bonds.

A

Weaker.

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6
Q

Why is it good that hydrogen bonds, used to connect base pairs, are weak?

A

Because they need to break so that the DNA can separate for replication.

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7
Q

During which stage of the cell cycle does DNA replication occur?

A

Interphase.

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8
Q

Each parent DNA molecule has how many complementary strands?

A

Two.

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9
Q

What is the first step in replication?

A

Separating the two DNA strands.

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10
Q

How do the parent strands help with building new DNA?

A

They are a template for determining the order of the nucleotides along the new complementary strand.

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11
Q

How are nucleotides added to the single strand?

A

A special enzyme attaches floating nucleotides to the complementary strand.

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12
Q

The nucleotides connect to form…

A

The sugar and phosphate backbone for the new strand.

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13
Q

Each daughter (new) DNA molecule is made of…

A

One parent strand and one new strand.

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14
Q

How many nucleotides are added to the strand each second?

A

50.

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15
Q

How many base pairs are there in 46 DNA molecules (chromosomes) ?

A

6 billion.

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16
Q

How long does it take to replicate the 6 billion base pairs in 46 DNA molecules?

A

A few hours.

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17
Q

Are many mistakes made during DNA replication? Why/why not?

A

Few mistakes are made due to repair enzymes.

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18
Q

If you laid the DNA in a single human cell end-to-end, how long would it be?

A

Six feet.

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19
Q

What is DNA polymerase?

A

An enzyme that binds the new nucleotides together.

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20
Q

What is helicase?

A

The enzyme that unwinds the DNA.

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21
Q

Genetic traits are the result of…

A

Proteins.

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22
Q

DNA has instructions for making…

A

Proteins.

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23
Q

What is alkaptonuria?

A

It is a rare inherited genetic disorder of amino acid metabolism, meaning that the person cannot digest/metabolize amino acids/proteins. They are essentially allergic to protein because if they eat it, it must be medically removed.

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24
Q

What are proteins made of?

A

A specific number of amino acids in a specific sequence.

25
Q

What has the instructions for making the proteins?

A

DNA.

26
Q

Why are proteins important in our body?

A

They build our structure (muscle and bones), hormones, and they are enzymes.

27
Q

What is central dogma?

A

An explanation of the flow of genetic information within a biological system. It says that DNA turns into RNA through transcription, and RNA becomes protein through translation.

28
Q

How is RNA different from DNA?

A

RNA is a single strand, it uses ribose sugar instead of deoxyribose, and it has uracil to pair with adenine instead of thymine.

29
Q

What is transcription?

A

When one side of the DNA is copied to make RNA.

30
Q

What are the three types of RNA?

A

mRNA, tRNA, and rRNA.

31
Q

When copying DNA, one side goes in the…to… direction while the other goes in the…to… direction.

A

3’ to 5’, and 5’ to 3’.

32
Q

How many bases are exposed at a time by the replication bubble?

A

10 bases.

33
Q

What does mRNA stand for?

A

Message RNA. (This is the basic RNA.)

34
Q

What does tRNA stand for?

A

Transfer RNA.

35
Q

What does rRNA stand for?

A

Ribosomal RNA.

36
Q

What does rRNA do?

A

It combines with proteins to make ribosomes.

37
Q

What is translation?

A

Turning RNA into proteins. (Translating the sequence of nucleotides on the mRNA strand to a sequence of amino acids during protein synthesis.)

38
Q

What is a codon?

A

Three letters on the mRNA.

39
Q

Define stop and start codons.

A

These determine where on the strand translation begins and where it ends.

40
Q

How many different amino acids are necessary for humans?

A

20.

41
Q

How many different codons are there?

A

64.

42
Q

How many different stop codons are there?

A

3.

43
Q

What are the three stop codons?

A

UAG, UAA, UGA

44
Q

What is the most common start codon?

A

AUG. (This codon determines where to start making the protein.)

45
Q

What does tRNA do?

A

It transfers/ carries amino acids to the ribosome.

46
Q

What is translation?

A

Translating the RNA message into a polypeptide (amino acid chain), requiring ribosomal units, mRNA, tRNA, amino acids, and ATP.

47
Q

What happens during translation initiation?

A

The mRNA binds to ribosome and initial tRNA. It requires a start codon, which attaches to the tRNA. The ribosome also attaches to the tRNA.

48
Q

What is an anticodon?

A

The three exposed letters that are the opposite letters of the codon. Ex: Codon: UGG, anticodon: ACC.

49
Q

What is elongation?

A

Adding amino acids to the ribosome, three codons at a time. This continues until it hits a stop codon.

50
Q

What is translation termination?

A

When the ribosome comes to a stop codon and accepts the release factor. The polypeptide is freed.

51
Q

Define gene.

A

The area of DNA where you make a protein from, where the final product is either a polypeptide or an RNA molecule. The mRNA will be degraded by enzymes.

52
Q

Where does DNA replication start and where does the protein synthesis end?

A

The whole process starts inside the nucleus and then ends up in a ribosome outside the nucleus.

53
Q

What does RNA polymerase do?

A

It makes RNA.

54
Q

What is the replication bubble?

A

The portion of the DNA that is unzipped for replication.

55
Q

After RNA is made, what happens?

A

The RNA copy leaves the nucleus. Ribosome attaches to it and turns the RNA information into a string of amino acids that becomes a protein.

56
Q

After the amino acids are made, what happens?

A

The transfer molecules bring the amino acids to a “factory.” The amino acids attach to the correct letter (base pair).

57
Q

What does mRNA do?

A

It is an intermediate message that is translated to form a protein.

58
Q

What does tRNA do?

A

It brings amino acids from the cytoplasm to a ribosome to help make the growing protein.

59
Q

What does rRNA do?

A

It forms part of ribosomes, a cell’s protein factories.

PB Biology💜 (40 decks)

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