QUIZ 9/Genetics and Nucleic Acid Replication Flashcards
Transcription
The transcription of RNA from DNA for protein synthesis is the key to protein synthesis.
Transcription is the “writing” of the DNA genetic code into mRNA (nucleic acid to nucleic acid) by the RNA polymerase enzyme.
What does DNA do?
stores the genetic code for the manufacture the cell’s, and hence, the organism’s structures which then lead to organismal function, or LIFE.
Replication
Both DNA and RNA are replicated in the cell nucleus. Replication means DNA or RNA is manufactured from nucleotides and the code from DNA.
PROTEIN SYNTHESIS
All proteins have their sequence of amino acids determined by the code of DNA on the original gene.
DNA
a double-strand, helical nucleic acid with a backbone of deoxyribose sugar and phosphate withfour nitrogenous bases: adenine, guanine, cytosine and thymine or AGCT — the “genetic
code.”
RNA
a single-strand nucleic acid that develops 3different forms. The backbone is ribose sugar and phosphate with four nitrogenous bases: adenine, guanine, cytosine and uracil.
3 common forms of RNA
ribosomal (rRNA),
messenger (mRNA)
transfer (tRNA).
RNA can also form ribozymes.
Nitrogenous bases
are purine and pyrimidine structures.
Nucleosides
are a nitrogenous base bonded to a ribose or deoxyribose sugar
Nucleotides
are nucleosides bonded to one or more phosphate groups. Free-floating nucleotides in the nucleus are incorporated into DNA or RNA when these nucleic acids are replicated.
What forms a sugar phosphate backbone?
The nucleotides in a nucleic acid are bonded between phosphate and sugar, forming a chain.
Hydrogen bond
The nitrogenous bases can hydrogen bond to form their specific couples, such as in DNA, tRNA, rRNA or a ribozyme.
DNA
Adenine Guanine Cytosine Thymine Adenine with Thymine Guanine with Cytosine Cytosine with Guanine Thymine with Adenine
RNA
Adenine Guanine Cytosine Uracil Adenine with Uracil Guanine with Cytosine Uracil with Adenine Guanine with Cytosine
Chromatin
DNA packed into a cell’s nucleus. Structural proteins tightly
pack and wind DNA into chromatin; this creates stability, organization and protection for the cell’s storage of the genetic cod
replicase enzyme
unzips the DNA and also “reads” the DNA code, and thirdly the replicase transcribes a mRNA strand from the revealed code. The DNA is re-zippered closed, thus conserving the genetic code.
DNA Structuring
The DNA double helix wraps around a bundle of
histone proteins
-wraps into a ball-like structure called a nucleosome.
-nucleosomes form next level of structure by condensing into another helical structure called the condensed fiber.
-condensed fiber forms a larger level of structure as it bundles itself into chromatin.
euchromatin
Active chromatin that gets transcribed regularly and is less compacted
heterochromatin
genetic code that is conserved, almost never accessed for transcription, and is densely compacted in the nucleus.
What are histones?
The chief protein components of cromatin
What do RNA polymerases do?
-This enzyme is responsible for transcribing DNA
code into RNA, allowing protein codes to get to the
cytoplasm for protein manufacture
-they find the site of code on the DNA that is to be transcribed, unzips the DNA, replicates the DNA using RNA nucleotides, and rezips the DNA. The RNA produced will be processed by splicing enzymes and ribozymes into either mRNA,
tRNA, or rRNA.
Polymerase enzymes
use copious amounts of ATP to perform their work
Simplified DNA Replication
-First, a topoisomerase enzyme untwists the
secondary helix structure
– A helicase untwists the primary helix structure by
relieving the hydrogen bonding between bases. This separates the 2 strands. Binding proteins attach to the strands to keep them separated.
– DNA primase bonds free-floating nucleotides into the deoxyribose-sugar chain.
– DNA ligase connects together the bits of newly
created nucleotide chain
– DNA polymerase finishes the bonding of nucleotides, and re-zips the strands as 2 daughter strands.
Protein synthesis
occurs constantly within cells, and uses significant ATP energy to maintain normal organismal functioning.