nucleic acids and chromatin Flashcards
When are chromosomes visible in the cell cycle?
Metaphase
What is the ordered display of chromosomes called?
Karyotype
How do you count chromosomes and chromatids?
Chromosomes: number of centromeres
Chromatids: number of arms
What are telomeres?
Ends of a chromosome
what is the constricted region of a chromosome?
centromere
what is the role of the centromere?
act as the site of assembly of the kinetochore
What is the kinetochore?
Highly compex multiprotein structure that is responsible for the actual events of chromosome segregation
What is mitosis?
Cell division
Mother cell divides to produce 2 new daughter cells that are genetically identical itself
what is the 3 components of a nucleotide?
- nitrogen-containing base
- 5 carbon sugar
- phosphate group
Nitrogen containing bases in DNA / RNA
Cytosine
Guanine
Thymine / Uracil
Adenine
Bonding between nitrogen containing bases?
Hydrogen bonds
C ≡ G
A = T/U
Molecular shape of double stranded DNA?
alpha helix
Describe the structure of a DNA molecule
2 linear strands
Held together by hydrogen bonds between base pairs
Run antiparallel to each other
5’ to 3’ and 3’ to 5’
Twist together
How are adjacent nucleotides of RNA and DNA linked?
What is formed?
Phosphodiester bonds
Sugar-phosphate backbone
Describe the positioning of the phosphodiester bond between 2 nucleotides
Phosphate group attached to 5’ C forms bond with OH group on 3’ of the adjacent nucelotide
In which direction does the sugar-phosphate backbone grow?
5’ to 3’ direction
How does the OH group on the ribose in RNA nucleotides affect it? (not present in DNA nucleotides)
Responsible for secondary structure
More susceptible to alkaline degredation
What is a histone?
Protein that associates with DNA in the nucleus
helps condense DNA into a smaller volume