Nucleic Acids & Genetics - 3a

Question 1

What are biomolecules primarily composed of?

Answer 1

Carbon (C), Hydrogen (H), and Oxygen (O); some also contain Nitrogen (N) and Phosphorus (P).

Question 2

What are the four types of biomolecules?

Answer 2

Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

Question 3

What are polymers and monomers?

Answer 3

Polymers are large molecules made up of repeating monomer units bonded together.

Question 4

What elements do nucleic acids contain?

Answer 4

Carbon (C), Hydrogen (H), Oxygen (O), Nitrogen (N), and Phosphorus (P).

Question 5

What are the two types of nucleic acids?

Answer 5

DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) and RNA (Ribonucleic Acid).

Question 6

What is the function of DNA?

Answer 6

DNA contains genetic material that determines inherited traits.

Question 7

What is the function of RNA?

Answer 7

RNA relays protein synthesis instructions from DNA and helps in protein creation.

Question 8

What are the three components of a nucleotide?

Answer 8

A phosphate group, a pentose sugar, and a nitrogenous base.

Question 9

How is a nucleotide formed?

Answer 9

A sugar and nitrogenous base form a nucleoside, which then reacts with a phosphate group to form a nucleotide.

Question 10

What is the primary structure of a nucleic acid?

Answer 10

A sequence of nucleotides linked by a sugar-phosphate backbone.

Question 11

How is the directionality of a nucleotide chain defined?

Answer 11

The 5’ end has a phosphate group, and the 3’ end has a hydroxide (-OH) group.

Question 12

In which direction is a nucleic acid sequence read?

Answer 12

From the 5’ end to the 3’ end.

Question 13

What is the structure of DNA?

Answer 13

A double helix with two strands coiled around each other.

Question 14

What type of bonding holds DNA strands together?

Answer 14

Hydrogen bonds between complementary bases.

Question 15

What are the base-pairing rules in DNA?

Answer 15

Adenine (A) pairs with Thymine (T), and Guanine (G) pairs with Cytosine (C).

Question 16

What is meant by DNA strands being antiparallel?

Answer 16

One strand runs 5’ to 3’, while the other runs 3’ to 5’.

Question 17

What is the composition of human chromosomes?

Answer 17

15% DNA and 85% protein, including histones.

Question 18

How many chromosomes do human somatic cells have?

Answer 18

46 chromosomes (23 pairs), including sex chromosomes (XX or XY).

Question 19

What is the function of DNA?

Answer 19

Stores genetic information.

Question 20

What is the function of RNA?

Answer 20

Assists in protein synthesis.

Question 21

What is the pentose sugar in DNA?

Answer 21

Deoxyribose.

Question 22

What is the pentose sugar in RNA?

Answer 22

Ribose.

Question 23

What is the structure of DNA?

Answer 23

Double-stranded.

Question 24

What is the structure of RNA?

Answer 24

Single-stranded.

Question 25

What is the size of DNA?

Answer 25

Large (millions of nucleotides).

Question 26

What is the size of RNA?

Answer 26

Small (75–several thousand nucleotides).

Question 27

What are the base pairs in DNA?

Answer 27

A-T, C-G.

Question 28

What are the base pairs in RNA?

Answer 28

A-U, C-G.

Question 29

What is the replication property of DNA?

Answer 29

Self-replicating.

Question 30

What is the replication property of RNA?

Answer 30

Synthesized from DNA as needed.

Question 31

What is the purpose of DNA replication?

Answer 31

To create two identical daughter DNA molecules.

Question 32

Where does DNA replication occur?

Answer 32

In the nucleus during interphase.

Question 33

What is complementary base pairing?

Answer 33

The principle that specific nitrogenous bases pair together (A-T, C-G).

Question 34

What is the role of DNA polymerase?

Answer 34

It replicates DNA by adding complementary nucleotides to a new strand.

Question 35

What does helicase do during DNA replication?

Answer 35

It unwinds and unzips the DNA strands.

Question 36

What does primase do?

Answer 36

It creates primers to guide DNA polymerase.

Question 37

What does ligase do?

Answer 37

It joins Okazaki fragments on the lagging strand.

Question 38

What are Okazaki fragments?

Answer 38

Short DNA segments formed on the lagging strand.

Question 39

What is gene expression?

Answer 39

The process of synthesizing proteins using genetic information.

Question 40

What are the two major steps of gene expression?

Answer 40

Transcription and translation.

Question 41

What is a base triplet?

Answer 41

A set of three nucleotides in DNA.

Question 42

What is a codon?

Answer 42

A three-nucleotide sequence in mRNA that specifies an amino acid.

Question 43

What is the function of messenger RNA (mRNA)?

Answer 43

It carries genetic information from DNA to ribosomes for protein synthesis.

Question 44

What is the function of transfer RNA (tRNA)?

Answer 44

It binds to specific amino acids and delivers them to ribosomes.

Question 45

What is the function of ribosomal RNA (rRNA)?

Answer 45

It helps form ribosomes.

Question 46

Where does transcription occur?

Answer 46

In the nucleus.

Question 47

What enzyme is responsible for transcription?

Answer 47

RNA polymerase.

Question 48

What happens during transcription initiation?

Answer 48

RNA polymerase binds to a promoter sequence and unwinds DNA.

Question 49

What happens during elongation?

Answer 49

RNA polymerase adds complementary nucleotides to form mRNA.

Question 50

What happens during termination?

Answer 50

RNA polymerase reaches a stop sequence and releases mRNA.

Question 51

Where does translation occur?

Answer 51

In the cytoplasm at ribosomes.

Question 52

What is the function of ribosomes in translation?

Answer 52

They assemble amino acids into proteins.

Question 53

What is the role of tRNA in translation?

Answer 53

It delivers amino acids to the ribosome.

Question 54

What is the start codon?

Answer 54

AUG (methionine).

Question 55

What signals the end of translation?

Answer 55

A stop codon.

Question 56

What is a mutation?

Answer 56

An error in the DNA base sequence that can lead to faulty proteins.

Question 57

What are the two types of mutations?

Answer 57

Substitution: One base is replaced, altering one amino acid. Frameshift: Insertion or deletion shifts the reading frame, altering the entire protein.

Question 58

What are some causes of mutations?

Answer 58

Radiation, chemicals, and hereditary diseases like cystic fibrosis and sickle cell anemia.