Nucleic Acids glossary Flashcards
Activation energy
the minimum energy required for a reaction to occur
Adenine
A chemical compound that is used to make one of the building blocks of DNA and RNA
ATP Hydrolase
The enzyme involved in HTP hydrolysis
ATP synthase
an enzyme that created the energy storage molecule ATP, forming it from adenosine diphosphate and inorganic phosphate.
Base-Pairing
A base pair is a fundamental unit of double-stranded nucleic acids consisting of two nucleases bound to each other by hydrogen bond. They form the building blocks of the DNA double helix and contribute to the folded structure of both DNA and RNA.
Complementary
complementary describes a relationship between two structures each following the lock-and-key principle.
Conservative model
in the conservative model, the parental molecule directs synthesis of an entirely new double-stranded molecule.
Covalent bond
Covalent bonds, which hold the atoms within an individual molecule together, are formed by the sharing of electrons in the outer atomic orbitals.
Cytokinesis
The physical process of cell division, which divides the cytoplasm of a parental cell into two daughter cells. It occurs concurrently with two types of nuclear division called mitosis and ,meiosis, which occur in animal cells.
Cytosine
Cytosine is one of the four main bases found in DNA and RNA, along with adenine, guanine and thymine.
Dinucleotide
a compound comprised of two nucleotides.
Dipolar
having equal and opposite electric charges or magnetic poles having opposite signs and separated by a small distance.
DNA Helicase
Helicases are a class of enzymes vital to all organisms. Their main function is to unpack an organism’s genes. (The enzyme that unzips the DNA)
DNA polymerase
an enzyme that synthesises long chains of polymers or nucleic acids such as DNA
Double-helix
the structure formed by double-stranded molecules of nucleic acids such as DNA
Glycolysis
the breakdown of glucose by enzymes, releasing energy and pyruvic acid.
Guanine
one of the four main nucleases found in nucleic acids DNA and RNA, the others being adenine, cytosine and thymine. In DNA, guanine is paired with cytosine.
Heavy Nitrogen
The stable isotope of nitrogen with a mass number of 15
Hydrogen bond
a weak bond between two molecules resulting from an electrostatic attraction between a proton in one molecule and an electronegative atom in the other.
Inorganic ions
atoms with uncharted electrons in their outer shell and are thus charged. They carry either a positive or negative charge.
Isotope
various forms of an element that have the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons.
Latent heat of vaporisation
a physical property of a substance. It is defined as the heat required ti change one mole of a liquid as its boiling point under standard atmospheric pressure.
Light nitrogen
the stable isotope of nitrogen with a mass number of 14
Nuclear division
the division of the nucleus occurring in both mitosis and meiosis during cell division.
