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BIO125 > Nucleic Acids: Structure & Function > Flashcards

Nucleic Acids: Structure & Function Flashcards

1
Q

plasma membrane

A

single phospholipid bilayer

- contains proteins embedded into its bilayers

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2
Q

nuclear membrane

A

continuous double phospholipid bilayer (inner & outer)

- contains proteins embedded into its bilayers

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3
Q

nucleolus

A

responsible for ribosomal RNA processing and assembling ribosomal subunits
- site of ribosome assembly

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4
Q

gene

A

a sequence of DNA—located at a specific locus—with a specific job or function

  • made up of proteins
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5
Q

metabolic pathway

A

a linked series of biochemical reactions that build up or break down a particular molecule
- product of one reaction is the substrate of the next reaction

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6
Q

locus

A

location on a chromosome

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7
Q

allele

A

gene sequence variability, which leads to variations in the gene function

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8
Q

nuclear localization signal (NLS)

A

a short amino acid sequence that marks a protein for delivery to nucleus

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9
Q

components of a nucleic acid

A

(1) phosphate group
(2) 5 carbon sugar
(3) nitrogenous base

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10
Q

antiparallel

A

opposing orientation of nucleic acid strands that are hydrogen bonded to one another

  • one strand = 5’ -> 3’
  • another strand = 3’ -> 5’
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11
Q

complementary base pairs

A

pair of bases that only bond to one another

  • A + T or A + U = 2 H-bonds
  • G + C = 3 H-bonds
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12
Q

ribozyme

A

RNA enzyme that act as a catalyst by speeding up a chemical reaction
- contains uracil instead of thymine

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13
Q

genotype

A

alleles of a gene

- determined by sequence of bases in its DNA

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14
Q

phenotype

A

physical traits expressed according to a genotype

- product of proteins it produces

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15
Q

central dogma

A

scheme for information flow in the cell: DNA S RNA S protein

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16
Q

types of transportation through nuclear pores

A

(1) nuclear export signal (mRNA)

2) nuclear localization signal (lamin

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17
Q

nucleotide structure

A

1’ - base

2’ - R (DNA or RNA) = OH or H

3’ - OH (polymer)

4’ - connect to 5’

5’ - phosphate

(1B 2R 3OH 45 5P)

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18
Q

purine

A 
class of small, nitrogen-containing, double-ringed bases found in nucleotides
- bases: adenine & guanine

*linked juntos by 9 atoms

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19
Q

pyrimidine

A 
class of small, nitrogen-containing, single-ringed bases found in nucleotides 
- bases: cytosine, thymine OR uracil

*linked juntos by 6 atoms

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20
Q

polymer properties

A

(1) condensation reaction
(2) phosphodiester bond
(3) sugar-phosphate backbone
(4) 5’ & 3’ ends
(5) primary structure depends on order of nucleotides

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21
Q

primary structure

A

depends on order of nucleotides

  • consists of sugar-phosphate backbone (phosphodiester linkages + sequence of 4 types of bases)
  • RNA < stable than DNA
  • supports catalytic activity in molecule
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22
Q

secondary structure

A

depends on H-bonds

  • result of complementary base pairing btwn purine & pyrimidine bases
  • section where fold occurs =unpaired bases + stem-&-loop configuration
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23
Q

nucleic acid functions in DNA

A

make up genetic material

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24
Q

nucleic acid functions in RNA

A

(1) gene expression (mRNA, tRNA, rRNA, siRNA)
(2) ribozymes
(3) ATP & GTP
(4) genetic material in some viruses

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25
Q

Watson & Crick

A

credited for discovery of DNA structure

  • used Rosalind Franklin’s collected data but she was not credited
  • basically trial & error
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26
Q

DNA structure

A

(1) double-stranded = secondary structure
(2) antiparallel
(3) self-perpetuating - can only be replicated/connected in 1 way

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27
Q

types of RNA

A

(1) messenger RNA, mRNA
(2) transfer RNA, tRNA
(3) siRNA
(4) rRNA

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28
Q

messenger RNA (mRNA)

A

complimentary to DNA

- carry info required to manufacture proteins

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29
Q

ribosomal RNA (rRNA)

A

forms part of ribosome

  • manufactured in nucleolus
  • bind to proteins -> ribosomes
  • machinery

*most RNA

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30
Q

transfer RNA (tRNA)

A

interacts w/ amino acids & RNA

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31
Q

siRNA

A

gets rid of mRNA

- regulates translation

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32
Q

central dogma

A

scheme for info flow in cell

(1) DNA - info storage

                  TRANSCRIPTION

(2) mRNA - info carrier

                  TRANSLATION

(3) proteins - active cell machinery

[DNA -> RNA -> protein]

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33
Q

reverse transcription

A

RNA becomes DNA

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34
Q

translation

A

nonreversiable

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35
Q

types of proteins

A

(1) cytosolic proteins

(2) lumenal proteins

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36
Q

genetic code property

A

must be triplet code

- triplet code allows for more amino acids

37
Q

reading frame

A

3 combo letters stand for specific amino acid

  • always start w/ AUG (start codon)
  • 3 stop codons
38
Q

gene characteristics

A

(1) redundant
(2) unambiguous
(3) nearly universal
(4) conservative

39
Q

redundant gene

A

more than 1 codon

all amino acids (except methionine & tryptophan) are coded by more than 1 codon

40
Q

unambiguous gene

A

know codon, know amino acid

single codon never codes for more than 1 amino acid

41
Q

nearly universal gene

A

all codons specify the same amino acids in all orgs

- few minor exceptions

42
Q

conservative

A

several codons specify the same amino acid

1st 2 bases in those codons are almost always identical

43
Q

mutations

A

(1) single base change
(2) few bases change
(3) part of chromosome change
(4) whole chromosome changes

44
Q

karyotype

A

spread of all chromosome

45
Q

RNA world hypothesis

A

chemical evolution produced RNAs that could catalyze key reactions involved in their own replication & basic metabolism

46
Q

nucleic acid

A

macromolecule composed of nucleotide monomers

47
Q

nucleic acid properties

A

(1) polymer
(2) made up of nucleotides
(3) stores & processes info
(4) examples: DNA & RNA

48
Q

types of nucleotides in living cells

A

(1) ribonucleotide (RNA)

2) deoxribonucleotide (DNA

49
Q

ribonucleotides (RNA)

A

monomers of ribonucleic acid
- sugar: ribose

*more stable than DNA

50
Q

deoxyribonucleotide (DNA)

A

monomers of deoxyribonucleic acid

  • sugar: deoxyribose
  • carries info required for org’s growth & reproduction
51
Q

phosphodiester linkage/bond

A

chemical linkage btwn adjacent nucleotide residues in DNA & RNA
- result of: condensation reaction

52
Q

nucleic acid directionality

A

(1) 5’ end = phosphate
(2) 3’ end = hydroxyl
(3) base sequence always written in 5’-3’ direction
(4) bases only added at 3’ end of growing molecule
(5) primary

53
Q

adenine triphosphate (ATP)

A

molecule consisting of adenine base, sugar & 3 phosphate groups that can be hydrolyzed to release energy
- universally used by cells to store & transfer energy

54
Q

DNA points to prove (Watson/Crick)

A

(1) sugar phosphate backbone
(2) Erwin Chargaff empirical rules (# purines = # pyrimidines)
(3) DNA = helical (Rosalind Franklin)

55
Q

complementary strand

A

new strand of RNA or DNA that has a base sequence complementary to template strand

5’-3’

56
Q

template strand

A

original DNA strand

3’-5’

57
Q

DNA double helix

A

(1) highly structured
(2) regular
(3) symmetric
(4) held together via H-bonds + hydrophobic interactions + phosphodiester bonds

58
Q

hairpin

A

a stable loop formed by H-bonds btwn purine & pyrimidine bases on same strand

  • reduces entropy of RNA molecules
  • secondary structure in RNA
59
Q

tertiary structure

A

3-D folding
- arises when secondary structures fold into more complex shapes

*not present in DNA

60
Q

nucleus

A

info center of eukaryotic cells

  • corporate headquarters
  • design center
  • library
  • highly organized interior
61
Q

nuclear lamina

A

lattice-like sheet of fibrous nuclear lamins

  • type of intermediate filament
  • lines inner membrane of nuclear envelope
  • stiffens envelope
  • organizes chromosomes
  • defines organelle’s overall shape & structure
62
Q

nuclear envelope

A

separates nucleus from rest of cell

63
Q

nuclear pore

A

opening in nuclear envelope

  • connects inside of nucleus w/ cytoplasm
  • molecules (mRNA & some proteins) pass through here
64
Q

nuclear pore complex

A

large complex of dozens of proteins lining a nuclear pore, defining its shape & regulating transport through pore

65
Q

zip code

A

molecular address tag

  • marks them for transport through nuclear pore complex
  • allows nuclear pore complex to open in some way that permits larger proteins & RNA molecule to pass through
66
Q

RNA polymerase

A

enzyme that catalyzes the synthesis RNA molecules from ribonucleotides according to info provided by sequence of bases using a DNA template

67
Q

exceptions to central dogma

A

(1) many genes code for RNA molecules that ≠ fcn as mRNAs -> translated into proteins
(2) info flows from RNA back to DNA
(3) reverse transcriptase

68
Q

reverse transcriptase

A

enzyme that can synthesize double-stranded DNA from a single-stranded RNA template
- RNA virus infecting cells use this mode of synthesis

69
Q

genetic code

A

set of all codons & their meanings

  • rules that specify relationship btwn nucleotide sequence in DNA or RNA & amino acid sequence in proteins
  • triplet code
70
Q

reading frame

A

series of non-overlapping, 3-base-long sequence (potential codons) in DNA or RNA

71
Q

start codon

A

AUG triplet in mRNA @ which protein synthesis begins

- codes for amino acid, methionine

72
Q

stop codon

A

any of 3 mRNA triplets (UAG, UGA, or UAA) that cause termination of protein synthesis

  • signals protein = complete
  • does not code for an amino acid
  • ends translation

(aka) termination codon

73
Q

mutation

A

any permanent change in an org’s DNA

  • create new alleles
  • modification in cell’s info archive
  • alter DNA sequences that range in size from a single base pair in DNA to whole sets of chromosomes
74
Q

point mutation

A

mutation result in change of single base pair in DNA

75
Q

types of point mutation

A

(1) missense mutation
(2) silent mutation
(3) frameshift mutation
(4) nonsense mutation

76
Q

missense mutation

A

point mutation that changes 1 amino acid for another w/in protein sequence

77
Q

silent mutation

A

point mutation that changes codon sequence w/out changing amino acid that is specified

78
Q

frameshift mutation

A

addition or deletion of nucleotide in a coding sequence that shifts the reading frame of mRNA
- alters meaning of all subsequent codons

79
Q

nonsense mutation

A

point mutation that converts an amino-acid specifying codon into a stop codon

  • large effect
  • causes early termination of polypeptide chain
  • often results in a non-fcnal protein
80
Q

mutation categories

A

(1) beneficial
(2) neutral
(3) deleterious

81
Q

beneficial mutation

A

mutation ↑ org fitness (ability to survive/reproduce) in certain environ

(ie) G-to-A mutation (beach habitats) camouflages mice

82
Q

neutral mutation

A

mutation has no effect on fitness

(ie) silent mutation

83
Q

deleterious mutation

A

mutation, allele, or trait that ↓ individual’s fitness
- harmful

(ie) cancerous cell chromosomes = aneuploidy + inversions + translocations + deletions + duplications

84
Q

changes in chromosomes

A

(1) inversion
(2) translocation
(3) deletion
(4) duplication

85
Q

inversion

A

mutation in which chromosome segment breaks from rest of chromosome, flips & rejoins in reversed orientation

86
Q

translocation

A

attached to a different chromosome

87
Q

deletion

A

chromosome segment is lost

88
Q

duplication

A

additional copies of segment present

BIO125 (10 decks)

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