Nucleic Acids Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
1
Q

What are the nucleic acids?

A

RNA and DNA

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Individual nucleotides are made up of 3 components:

A

Pentose sugar
Phospate group
Nitrogen containing base

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What are the nitrogen containing bases?

A

Cytosine
Thymine
Uracil
Adenine
Guanine

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

How is the pentose sugar, phosphate group and organic bases joined together? And to form what?

A

By condensation reactions to form a single nucleotide

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Two mononucleotides may, in turn, be joined as a result of a ______________ reaction between the deoxyribose sugar of one mononucleotide and the _________ group of another.

A

Condenstation,
Phosphate

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What bond is formed between 2 mononucleotides joined together after a condensation reaction?

A

A phosphodiester bond

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is the continued linking of mononucleotides called?

A

A polynucleotide

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is RNA?

A

It is a polymer made up of nucleotides

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is the structure of RNA?

A

Single, short, polynucleotide chain in which the pentose sugar is always ribose and organic bases are Adenine, guanine, cytosine, and uracil

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

One type of RNA transfers genetic information from ___ to the ribosomes

A

DNA

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

The ________ themselves are made of proteins and another type of RNA. A third type of RNA is involved in _______ _________.

A

Ribosomes
Protein synthesis

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

In DNA, the _______ sugar is deoxyribose and the ________ bases are Adenine, Thymine, _______ and cytosine.

A

Pentose
Organic
Guanine

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

DNA is made up of? (structure wise)

A

Two strands of nucleotides (polynucleotide)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Each of the two strands is _______ _____, and they are joined together by _______ bonds formed between certain bases.

A

Extremely long,
Hydrogen

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

The bases on the two strands of ___ attach to each other by ___________ bonds

A

DNA,
Hydrogen

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Adenine always pairs to?

A

Thymine

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Guanine always pairs with?

A

Cytosine

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Adenine is complementary to ______ and guanine is complementary to _______

A

Thymine
Cytosine

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

It follows that the _________ of adenine and thymine in DNA are always the same, and so are the ________ of guanine and ________.

A

Quantities,
Quantities,
Cytosine

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

However, the ____ of adenine and thymine to guanine and cytosine _____ species to species

A

Ratio
Varies

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

The uprights of __________ and deoxyribose wind around one another to form a ______ _______.

A

Phosphate
Double helix

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

DNA is a stable molecule. Give a reason related to the phophosidester backbone.

A

Phosphodiester backbone protects the more chemically reactive organic bases inside the double helix

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

DNA is a stable molecule. Give a reason related to the hydrogen bonds.

A

The hyrogen bonds link the organic base pairs forming bridges between the phosphodiester uprights.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

DNA is the _________ material responsible for passing genetic information from ____ to _____ and generation to generation

A

Hereditary,
Cell,
Cell

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

How many base pairs are in the DNA of a typical mammalian cell?

A

3.2 billion

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

DNA is a very _____ molecule which normally passes form generation to generation without _____. Only rarely does it ______.

A

Stable,
Change,
Mutate,

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

DNA’s two separate strands are joined only with _______ bonds, which allow them to separate during DNA _________ and protein synthesis

A

Hydrogen
Replication

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

DNA is an extremely _____ molecule and therefore _______ an immense amount of _______ information

A

Large
Carries
Genetic

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

DNA has the base pairs within the ______ cylinder of the ______________–phosphate backbone, the genetic information is to some extent ___________ from being corrupted by outside chemical and _________ forces.

A

Helical
Deoxyribose
Protected
Physical

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

DNA base pairing leads to DNA being able to __________ and to transfer information as _____

A

Replicate
mRNA

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

What does ATP stand for?

A

Adenosine Triphosphate

32
Q

A single molecule of ATP is a derivative of a ___________

A

Nucleotide

33
Q

How is ATP formed?

A

A molecule of adenine, a molecule of ribose and three phosphate groups

34
Q

What catalyses the hydrolysis of ATP?

A

The enzyme ATP hydrolase

35
Q

After the hydrolysis of ATP what is formed?

A

Adenosine diphosphate and an inorganic phosphate group

36
Q

The hydrolysis of ATP can be coupled to energy-requiring reactions within cells. Name a few.

A

Active transport, secretion (exocytosis) production of polymers and muscle contraction.

37
Q

The _________ phosphate released during the __________ of ATP can used to ________________ other compounds, often making them more reactive.

A

Inorganic
Hydrolysis
Phosphorylate

38
Q

ATP is resynthesised by what?

A

the condensation of ADP and Pi

39
Q

This condensation reaction is catalysed by the enzyme ATP _______ during photosynthesis, or during respiration.

A

Synthase

40
Q

During the hydroylus of ATP, it releases a small quantity of energy, why?

A

So it doesn’t overwhelm the cell and distort it.

41
Q

The bond between the second and third phosphate is hydrolysed easily, why?

A

It is unstable, so it can be hydrolysed easily.

42
Q

ATP is found in all what?

A

Living things

43
Q

ATP is an _________ source of energy by cells

A

Immediate

44
Q

When ATP breaks down, it does what?

A

Releases energy in small manageable steps

45
Q

Cells constantly make ATP from ADP and inorganic phosphate in what?

A

Respiration, photosynthesis and substrate level phosphorylation

46
Q

In metabolic processes, ATP provides energy needed to build up what?

A

The macromolecules from their basic units.

47
Q

In the energy-requiring process of movement, ATP provides the energy for what?

A

Muscle contraction

48
Q

In muscles contraction, ATP provides the energy for the?

A

Filaments of muscle to slide past one another, to shorten the overall length of a muscle fibre

49
Q

In active transport, ATP provides energy to do what?

A

Change the shape of carrier proteins in plasma membranes to allow molecules/ions to be moved against a concentration gradient.

50
Q

In secretion, ATP is needed to form what?

A

Lysosomes necessary for the secretion of cell products.

51
Q

A water molecule is made up of what?

A

Two atoms of hydrogen and one of oxygen

52
Q

Does an oxygen atom have a slightly negative charge? Yes or No.

A

Yes

53
Q

Water is described as what?

A

Dipolar

54
Q

Different poles attract, which means what? (water and hydrogen bonding)

A

Positive pole of one water molecule will be attracted to the negative pole of another water molecule.

55
Q

Water acts as a buffer against sudden what?

A

Temperature variations, making the aquatic environment a temperature-stable one.

56
Q

Water has a high specific heat capacity, what does this mean?

A

It takes a great deal of energy to separate water molecules from eachother.

57
Q

___________ bonding between water molecules means that it requires a lot of energy to evaporate _ gram of water. This energy is called ______ _____ __ ________________

A

Hydrogen,
1,
Latent heat of vapourisation

58
Q

What is cohesion?

A

The tendancy of water molecules to stick together

59
Q

Water has larger cohesive forces and the allow it to be?

A

Pulled up through a tube

60
Q

What is surface tension?

A

Where water molecules meet air and tend to be pulled back into the body of water rather than ecsaping from it

61
Q

Water in metabolism: water is used to break down many complex molecules by what?

A

Hydrolyis

62
Q

Water is produced in what?

A

Condensation reactions

63
Q

Water readily dissolves other substances, give 5 types.

A

Gases, waste products, inorganic ions, small hydrophillic molecules, and enzymes

64
Q

Evaporation of water does what for organisms?

A

Cools them down and allows them to control their temperature

65
Q

Water is not easily compressed so this means what?

A

It can provide support

66
Q

Water is transparent, why is this useful for aquatic plants?

A

So they can photosynthesise

67
Q

Where are inorganic ions found in organisms?

A

Cytoplasm of cells and in body fluids

68
Q

Iron ions are found where and what do they do?

A

Found in haemoglobin and play a role in transport of oxygen

69
Q

Where is a phosphate ion found and whats their role?

A

Found to form structural old in DNA molecules and a role in storing energy in ATP molecules

70
Q

Hydrogen ions are important for what?

A

Determine the pH of solutions and therefore the functioning of enzymes.

71
Q

Sodium ions are important for what?

A

In the transport of glucose and amino acids across plasma membranes

72
Q

What is nuclear division?

A

The process by which the nucleus divides : mitosis and meiosis

73
Q

What is cytokinesis?

A

Follows nuclear division and is the process by which the whole cell divides

74
Q

Before a nucleus divides its DNA must be what? And why?

A

Replicated, to ensure all daughter cell have the genetic information to produce the enzyme and other proteins that they need.

75
Q

Semi-conservative replication: what is step 1?

A

Enzyme DNA helicase breaks the hydrogen bonds linking the base pairs of DNA, leaving the double helix to separate into 2 strabds and unwinds

76
Q

Semi-conservative replication: what is step 2?

A

Each exposed polynucleotide strand acts as a template to which complementary free nucleotides bind by specific base pairing

77
Q

Semi-conservative replication: what is the last step?

A

The nucleotides are then joined together in a condensation reaction by the enzyme DNA Polymerase to form the missing polynucleotide stand on each of the 2 original polynucleotide strands of DNA