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BIO 2 - foundations in biology > NUCLEIC ACIDS (2.1.3) > Flashcards

NUCLEIC ACIDS (2.1.3) Flashcards

1
Q

What elements are found nucleotides

A
  • Carbon
  • Hydrogen
  • Oxygen
  • Nitrogen
  • Phosphorus
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2
Q

What is a nucleotide

A
  • type of biological molecule
  • monomers of Nucleic acids (DNA, RNA)
  • stores of energy (ATP, ADP)
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3
Q

describe the structure of a DNA nucleotide

A
  • phosphate group
  • deoxyribose sugar
  • nitrogenous base
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4
Q

State the 4 nitrogenous bases present within DNA

A
  • Adenine
  • Thymine
  • Cytosine
  • Guanine
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5
Q

What is the purpose of DNA

A
  • stores genetic information
  • contains the instructions for an organisms growth
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6
Q

Describe an RNA nucleotide

A
  • phosphate group
  • ribose pentose sugar
  • nitrogenous base
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7
Q

State the 4 nitrogenous bases present within RNA

A
  • Adenine
  • Uracil
  • Cytosine
  • Guanine
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8
Q

What is the purpose of RNA

A

Used to make proteins from genetic information stored within DNA

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9
Q
  • describe the structure of a purine
  • state the nitrogenous bases that are purines
A
  • 2 carbon-nitrogen rings joined together
  • larger
  • Adenine
  • Guanine
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10
Q
  • describe the structure of pyrimidine
  • state the nitrogenous bases that are pyrimidines
A
  • 1 Carbon-nitrogen ring
  • smaller
  • Cytosine
  • Thymine
  • Uracil
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11
Q

Describe how polynucleotides are formed

A
  • condensation reaction
  • phosphodiester bonds connect phosphate group on one nucleotide and the sugar on another nucleotide
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12
Q

Describe the structure of the Nucleic acid, DNA

A

DOUBLE HELIX STRUCTURE
- 2 polynucleotide strands
- anti parallel to each other
- joined by hydrogen bonds between complementary bases
- large molecule

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13
Q

State the complementary bases

A

Adenine - Thymine (2 hydrogen bonds)
Cytosine - Guanine (3 hydrogen bonds)

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14
Q

Describe the structure of the Nucleic acid, RNA

A
  • single stranded polynucleotide
  • smaller
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15
Q

Compare DNA and RNA’s size with reasons

A
  • DNA is large, as it contains genetic information for an entire organism
  • RNA is smaller, as it needs to leave the nucleus to make proteins from DNA’s “instructions”
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16
Q

Describe the structure of ATP (Adenine Triphosphate)

A
  • 3 phosphate groups
  • ribose pentose sugar
  • adenine (nitrogenous base)
17
Q

Describe the structure of ADP (Adenine Diphosphate)

A
  • 2 phosphate groups
  • ribose (pentose) sugar
  • adenine (nitrogenous base)
18
Q

Explain what ATP is used for

A

A store of chemical energy, necessary for
- synthesis/anabolic reactions
- transport
- movement (muscle contractions AND nerve impulses)

19
Q
  • describe how ATP is made
  • state the enzyme that catalyses the reaction
A
  • condensation reaction
  • ADP is phosphorylated (gains a phosphate ion)
  • reaction catalysed by ATP synthase (enzyme)
20
Q

Why must ATP be made

A
  • plants + animal cells cannot get energy directly from glucose
  • require photosynthesis/respiration to release energy, which is used to make ATP
  • ATP can then provide energy needed
21
Q
  • how is ATP used
  • state the enzyme that catalyses the reaction
A
  • hydrolysis reaction
  • phosphate bond between 2nd and 3rd phosphate ion is broken
  • releases energy stored in bond
  • catalysed by ATP hydrolyse enzyme
22
Q

What is the purpose of DNA replication

A
  • to ensure each new cell produced from cell division has the full amount of DNA
  • necessary to pass genetic information through generations
23
Q

Which enzyme breaks hydrogen bonds during DNA replication

A

DNA helicase

24
Q

State the enzyme responsible for forming phosphodiester bonds during DNA replication

A

DNA polymerase

25
Q

Outline the stages of DNA replication

A
  1. Hydrogen bonds between polynucleotide strands broken (DNA helicase), causing DNA to unwind
  2. Free DNA nucleotides form hydrogen bonds with complementary bases on each “template” strand of DNA
  3. Phosphodiester bonds formed between free nucleotides (DNA polymerase)
  4. Sugar phosphate backbone on new strands are formed
  5. Strands form double helix with a 1 old strand and 1 new strand
26
Q

Why is DNA replication considered as “semi-conservative”

A

Half the strands in each new DNA molecule are old, the other half are new

27
Q
  • what is meant by a gene
  • why are they necessary for protein synthesis
A
  • sequence of bases that code for a polypeptide
  • the order of codons determine the order of amino acids
  • this determines the proteins primary structure
28
Q

What is meant by a codon

A

3 nitrogenous bases that code for an amino acid

29
Q
  • what is meant by the genetic code
  • why is it “non-overlapping”
  • why is it degenerate
A
  • sequence of codons in which code for specific amino acids
  • each triplet is separate, bases are not shared
  • some codons code for the same amino acid, some are STOP or STARY signals
30
Q

Which enzyme breaks bonds between bases on DNA during transcription

A

DNA helicase

31
Q

Which enzyme forms phosphodiester bonds between free RNA nucleotides during transcription

A

RNA polymerase

32
Q

Outline the stages of transcription

A
  1. Bonds between DNA bases broken (DNA helicase)
  2. Free RNA nucleotides form H bonds with complementary bases on the DNA “template” strand
  3. (RNA polymerase) forms phosphodiester bonds between them
  4. RNA polymerase detaches from DNA once it has reached a STOP codon - it has made the mRNA strand
  5. DNA recoils into double-helix
    6., mRNA leaves through a nuclear pore, into the cytoplasm
33
Q

Outline the stages of translation

A

1., mRNA attaches to a ribosome
2., tRNA molecules carry amino acids to the ribosome
3., tRNA have anti-codons, complementary to an mRNA codon
4., rRNA catalyses the joining of 2 amino acids with a peptide bond
5., first tRNA molecule is released
6. Ribosome moves down mRNA strand, repeating the process
7. Polypeptide strand moves away, proteins primary structure is made

34
Q
  • describe the structure of messenger RNA (mRNA)
  • describe its function
A
  • single polynucleotide
  • made in nucleus (transcription)
  • moves genetic information from DNA outside the nucleus to a ribosome
35
Q
  • describe the structure of ribosomal RNA (rRNA)
  • describe its function
A
  • forms 2 sub units in a ribosome (large and small)
  • catalyses formation of peptide bonds between amino acids
36
Q
  • describe the structure of transfer RNA (tRNA)
  • describe its function
A
  • single polynucleotide folded into a clover
  • anti-codon on one side, amino acid binding site on the other
  • carries amino acids to ribosomes during translation

BIO 2 - foundations in biology (7 decks)

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