Nucleic Acids Flashcards
component elements
C, H, O, P, N
Functions
DNA: contain genetic info (“blueprints for proteins”)
RNA: builder of proteins
Monomer
nucleotides
What is the structure of a nucleic acid monomer?
nitrogen containing base + 5 carbon sugar (pentose) + phosphate group
Polymer
nucleic acid
the Deoxyribose nucleic acid’s structure is…
A double helix. This is a double strand of nucleotides in a “twisted ladder” formation
DNA is located in the…
nucleus
The function of DNA is…
contains all the hereditary info for the cell/ organism (“blueprint for proteins”)
The nitrogen containing bases of DNA are…
adenine, guanine, thymine, and cytosine
The 5 carbon sugar (pentose) of DNA is…
deoxyribose
The structure of a Ribonucleic acid is…
A single helix (single strand of nucleotides)
RNA is located…
both in and out of the nucleus
The function of RNA is…
to carry info to the site of construction of proteins in a cell (“builder of proteins”)
Nitrogen containing compounds of RNA are…
adenine, guanine, uracil, and cytosine
The 5 carbon sugar of RNA is…
ribose
Adenine forms a bond with…
Thymine
Guanine forms a bond with…
Cytosine
Thymine forms a bond with…
Adenine
Cytosine forms a bond with…
Guanine
Uracil forms a bond with…
Adenine
List the three steps of DNA replication
- Double helix is unzipped at its hydrogen bonds by enzyme (helicase)
- DNA nucleotides are brought to exposed nitrogen containing bases to form hydrogen bonds between complimentary base pairs
- Two identical double helices are formed (sister chromatids)
When does DNA replication occur?
During the S phase of interphase in the nucleus
What is protein synthesis?
gene expression
How does protein synthesis occur?
Information in chromosome us copied in the nucleus by mRNA and carried to the cytoplasm where the proteins are made
List the three steps of Transcription?
- Region of chromosomes containing a gene is untwisted, and unzipped by the enzyme (helicase)
- RNA nucleotides are brought to the exposed nitrogen containing bases to form hydrogen bonds between complimentary base pairs.
- Once a DNA strand has been copied in the form of RNA covalent bonds are formed between RNA nucleotides and a strand of mRNA separates itself from DNA.
What are the three steps in Translation?
- mRNA leaves the nucleus through tiny openings in the membrane. It travels to a ribosome in the cytoplasm.
- 3 nucleotides at a time (codon) are read by the ribosomes. Amino acids in the cytoplasm are attached to a growing chain of a protein, according to the info in each codon. (nucleic acid info is translated into protein structure)
- Each RNA codon attracts a specific amino acid
THe primary structure of a protein is…
the amino acid sequence in a polypeptide chain.
