Nucleic Acids Definitions

Question 1

ATP (adenosine triphosphate)

Answer 1

A nucleotide consisting of a molecule of ribose joined to the nitrogenous base adenine and three phosphate groups.

Question 2

degenerate genetic code

Answer 2

A term used to describe the fact that some amino acids can be coded for by multiple different codons.

Question 3

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)

Answer 3

A double stranded polynucleotide that contains the genetic material of an organism and is made up of deoxyribonucleotide monomers joined together by phosphodiester bonds.

Question 4

DNA nucleotide

Answer 4

The monomer that makes up DNA and consists of deoxyribose, a
nitrogenous base and a phosphate group.

Question 5

DNA polymerase

Answer 5

An enzyme that catalyses the formation of phosphodiester bonds between nucleotides during the synthesis of a new DNA strand.

Question 6

RNA polymerase

Answer 6

An enzyme that catalyses the formation of phosphodiester bonds between nucleotides during the synthesis of a new RNA strand.

Question 7

helicase

Answer 7

An enzyme that catalyses the unzipping of DNA in many
processes like replication and transcription.

Question 8

mRNA (messenger RNA)

Answer 8

A type of RNA that carries genetic information from the DNA in
the nucleus to the ribosomes for translation.

Question 9

non overlapping genetic code

Answer 9

A term used to describe the fact that each base is only part of one codon and that each codon is read one at a time in order

Question 10

nucleotide

Answer 10

The monomer from which nucleic acids are made that consists of a pentose
sugar, nitrogenous base and phosphate group.

Question 11

phosphodiester bond

Answer 11

A type of bond that joins nucleotides together to create polynucleotides.

Question 12

purines

Answer 12

A class of nitrogenous bases which are made up of two rings that adenine and
guanine are members of.

Question 13

pyrimidines

Answer 13

A class of nitrogenous bases which are made up of a single ring that cytosine,
thymine and uracil are members of.

Question 14

rRNA

Answer 14

A type of RNA that makes up ribosomes.

Question 15

RNA nucleotide

Answer 15

The monomer that makes up RNA and consists of ribose, a nitrogenous
base and a phosphate group.

Question 16

semi-conservative replication

Answer 16

The replication of DNA to produce two new DNA molecules which both contain one new strand and one old strand from the original DNA molecule.

Question 17

transcription

Answer 17

The process of synthesising a new mRNA strand from a molecule of DNA.

Question 18

tRNA (transfer)

Answer 18

A type of RNA that has three hairpin loops, an anticodon for attachment to the mRNA codon and an amino acid binding site and is used to carry amino acids to the ribosome.

Question 18

tRNA (transfer)

Answer 18

A type of RNA that has three hairpin loops, an anticodon for attachment to the mRNA codon and an amino acid binding site and is used to carry amino acids to the ribosome.

Question 19

translation

Answer 19

The process of protein synthesis where complementary tRNAs carrying amino
acids are brought to each codon in an mRNA molecule as it moves through a ribosome.

Question 20

triplet genetic code

Answer 20

A term used to describe the fact that DNA is grouped into three base long codons that are read together and code for an amino acid.

Question 20

triplet genetic code

Answer 20

A term used to describe the fact that DNA is grouped into three base long codons that are read together and code for an amino acid.

Question 21

universal genetic code

Answer 21

A term used to describe the fact that the same codons code for the same amino acids in all organisms.