Nucleic Acids Flashcards
Lesson 1
What is DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid - nucleic acid, made from a double helix - responsible for holding genetic/hereditary information - dictates how and what a cell does Nucleic acid, macro molecule
What are nucleic acids? Give two examples
- acids made from nucleotides
- consists of polymers (long repeating
strands of molecules - store and express genetic information
- comes in two types: DNA, or RNA
What are polymers
Repeating, long molecules
What are monomers
Parts that are repeated in a polymers
In DNA that would be a nucleotide
Structure of a nucleotide
- Phosphate group
- Penrose sugar (deoxyribose or ribose)
- Nitrogen base
They are held together by strong, covalent bonds
What is a purine
Example?
Its a type of nitrogen base found in nucleotides
Larger, double ringed
Guanine, Adendine
What are pyramidines
Type of nitrogen base found in nucleotides
Smaller, single ring
Thymine cytosine uracil
Why do nitrogen bases pair up in specific pairs
They are connected by a specif amount of weak hydrogen bonds that are very specific
Ie. Guanine and cytosjne have 3 each, adendine thymine have 2 each
Difference between DNA and RNA
Dna: found in nucleus, stabilizes itself by bonding with a nitrogen band, main component of Gene’s
Rna: found in nucleus, short term molecule (can exist outside of the nucleus, dies quickly) doesnt stabilize itself, holds the information for making proteins
(Read by ribosomes)
Hereditary?
Process of passing down traits from parents to offspring
Gene’s? Structure of Gene’s? Genetics?
Genetic information that codes for a specific trait
consist of DNA, found in chromosomes
Genetics is the study of hereditability and variations of traits
Locus loci
Location of a gene/allele on a chromosome
Homologous chromosomes
Same type of chromosome/same structure
Allele
Variant of a gene
Diploid 2n
2 sets of chromosomes
the n stands for the types of chromosomes.
- Humans have 23 types of chromosomes (n = 23) and they are all in pairs; so the equation is 2n = 46 (2 x 23 = 46)