Quiz #3: labs 13, 14, 15

Question 1

why is genetics considered one of the most important disciplines of biology?

Answer 1

Because it teaches people how traits are inherited from one generation to the next.

Question 2

Difference between genotype and phenotype

Answer 2

Genotype is an organism’s genetic makeup. A phenotype is an organism’s physical traits.

Question 3

Hardy-Weinberg equation

Answer 3

Used to determine the proportions of genotypes in a population

Question 4

why is inbreeding dangerous?

Answer 4

Because genetic disorders will be more likely to be inherited.

Question 5

what is the chemical composition of DNA

Answer 5

Deoxyribonucleic acid, a nucleic acid that is made of a deoxyribose sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base.

Question 6

What is replication

Answer 6

A process that allows DNA to make copies of itself

Question 7

function of protein synthesis

Answer 7

Process of building proteins from amino acids

Question 8

compare and contrast transcription and translation

Answer 8

transcription: process where chemical information encoded in DNA is copied into RNA
translation: process that represents the expression of the genetic code

Question 9

three types of RNA and their functions

Answer 9

tRNA: connectors that link an mRNA codon to a specific amino acid
mRNA: forms codons that specify amino acids in protein synthesis
ribosomal RNA: forms ribosomes

Question 10

compare and contrast DNA and RNA

Answer 10

DNA: deoxyribose sugar; base pairs A-T and C-G, double strand
RNA: ribose sugar; base pairs A-uracil and C-G; single strand

Question 11

what is meant by the semiconservative nature of DNA?

Answer 11

one strand of DNA serves as a direct template for the new strand, and the other strand is pieced together

Question 12

first step of translation

Answer 12

initiation: starts when mRNA associates with a small ribosomal subunit. AUG codon recognized as start site by tRNA molecule with an anticodon to AUG -> amino acid methionine is attached to the region of the tRNA opposite to the anticodon

Question 13

second step of translation

Answer 13

elongation: each successive codon is read by tRNA molecules that bring corresponding amino acids. amino acids are linked by peptide bonds formed by catalytic components of the ribosome

Question 14

third step of translation

Answer 14

termination: occurs when a stop codon is encountered

Question 15

significance of start and stop codons in protein synthesis

Answer 15

AUG codon encodes for methionine and serves as a start signal for building a protein. Stop codons end the formation of a protein

Question 16

how introns differ from exons

Answer 16

exons are coding portions of DNA, while introns are noncoding portions.