Molecular Review (Bittel) Flashcards
Histone Tail Modifications (Acetylation and Methylation)
acetylation = ACTIVE (open up histone)
methylation = INACTIVE (histone tightly closed)
Okazaki Fragment
discontinuous strands of DNA formed on the lagging strand by DNA polymerase
Base Excision Repair
- remove single base and sugar (AP endonuclease and phosphodiesterase)
- DNA polymerase adds nucleotide, DNA ligase seals nick
Nucleotide Excision Repair
- excision nuclease removes small DNA strand with dimer in it
- DNA polyermerase synthesizes new portion of strand, DNA ligase repairs nick
RecA
- allows single-stranded DNA pairing with homologous double helix
- protein binds to single DNA strand and searches duplex 3 nucleotides at time and invades DS once sequence is found (heteroduplex)
DNA-only transposons
- short inverted repeats at each end
- enzyme: transposase
- moves as DNA (cut-and-paste or replicative pathways)
Retroviral-like retrotransposons
- directly repeated long terminal repeats (LTRs) at each end
- enzymes: reverse transcriptase and integrase
- moves via RNA intermediate whose production is driven by a promoter in the LTR
Nonretroviral retrotransposons
- poly A at 3’ end of RNA transcript; 5’ is often truncated
- enzymes: reverse transcriptase and endonuclease
- moves via RNA intermediate that is often synthesized from a neighboring promoter
Sry gene
- in somatic cells causes primordial germ cell (PGC) to differentiate into Sertoli cells instead of follice cells
- cause differentiation into male rather than female
- PDC becomes a sperm cell instead of an egg
Sertoli and Leydig cells
- Sertoli = secretes anti-Mullerian hormone (suppress female development)
- Leydig = secretes testosterone
Meiosis
- gametes are HAPLOID
- arise from MEIOSIS; two rounds of cell division but one round produces half the number of chromosomes
Process of Fertilization (5 steps)
- binding of sperm to zona pellucida
- acrosome reaction (helps sperm tunnel through zona pellucida, alters sperm for binding)
- penetration through zona pellucida
- fusion of plasma membranes (first by tip of sperm then side)
- sperm contents enter eggs cytoplasm
Zona Pellucida membrane proteins (3)
ZP1 - cross-links filaments of ZP 2 and 3
ZP2/3 - form long filaments
What is the central dogma of biology?
DNA is transcribed to messenger RNAs which act as templates for protein synthesis in translation
Translation Process (3 steps)
- Initiation: ribosome assembles around target mRNA, first tRNA is attached at START codon
- Elongation: tRNA transfers AA corresponding to next codon. Ribosome moves to next mRNA codon, creating polypeptide
- Termination: when stop codon reached, ribosome releases the polypeptide
Short Telomere Syndrome (STS)
- accelerated aging syndromes often caused by inheritable gene mutations resulting in decreased telomere lengths
- organs with high turnover (bone marrow, liver, lungs, and immune system) are commonly affected
- treatment requires multidisciplinary approach
Telomerase
- builds new telomere sequences onto the ends of chromosomes