Review Flashcards
What did Meselson & Stahl discover?
That DNA replication is semi-conservative using E. coli and “heavy” nitrogen
After one generation, what was the density of the N found in the DNA of the Meselson & Stahl experiment?
Half heavy (15) and half light (14)
What is the composition of a 3rd generation N labeled DNA?
25% mid density
75% light density
What are the two requirements for DNA replication by DNA polymerases?
Template
Primer
What is a template?
A DNA strand used to specify the nucleotides to be incorporated into the daughter strand
What is a primer?
A segment of nucleic acid (RNA or DNA) base paired to the template, with a free 3’-OH
What provides the chemical basis for semi-conservative replication?
The need for a template for DNA synthesis
After adding a base, what is done by DNA polymerase I?
It pauses with the base still in the active site
If the base is incorrect, proofreading nuclease moves back and cuts it out
Polymerase resumes
What is the accuracy of replication due to DNA polymerase I?
10^6 - 10^8
Where does DNA replication begin?
At the ORI
How many proteins are involved in the replication of E. coli DNA?
Over 20; plus DNA polymerase III and control proteins
What is the prepriming complex?
dnaB (a helicase)/dnaC dimers bind to open complex and unwind origin DNA to expose single strand template
How does replication get initiated?
dnaA binds to oriC and forms the initial complex
Open complex formed by denaturation
Prepriming complex is formed
SSBs bind to single stranded DNA
What are SSBs/what do they do?
Single stranded binding proteins
Stabilize single stranded DNA
Which steps in the initiation of replication need energy?
All of them
What repairs the Okazaki fragments?
DNA polymerase
DNA ligase
What is the 3d enzyme activity of DNA polymerase I?
5’ to 3’ exonuclease
What does DNApolymerase I’s exonuclease do?
Removes RNA from 5’ end of Okazaki fragment in front of DNA polymerase I molecule
-DNA ligase covalently seals the gaps in the backbone
What are telomeres?
Buffer zones on the end of eukaryotic chromosomes
How do telomeres act as buffer zones?
Have hundreds of tandem repeated copies of GT-rich sequence (usually 6-8 bases long) - if one is cleaved off, it doesn’t matter
What structures to telomeres form?
Unusual, non-helical structures
Do telomeres need a template to be synthesized?
No
How are telomeres synthesized?
By telomerase
What is telomerase?
A specialized reverse transcriptase
What component is found in telomerase that serves as a template for synthesis?
An RNA component
What do telomeres prevent?
Undesirable fusion of chromosomes
Aberrant recombination
What attaches chromosomes to the nuclear envelope?
Telomeres
What serves as a “mitotic clock”?
Telomeres - Short telomeres induces senescence and/or apoptosis
Where is there no telomerase activity found?
In differentiated cells
Where is telomerase active?
In:
Germ cells
Stem cells
Tumors
How many RNA polymerases does E. coli use for all transcript synthesis?
1
How many subunits is found in the core enzyme of E. coli?
5
What are the 5 subunits of E. coli core enzymes?
2 alpha
1 beta
1 beta’
1 omega
E. coli core enzymes are very inefficient at what?
Initiating RNA synthesis
What is the additional subunit needed to add to the E. coli core enzyme for efficient initiation?
Sigma factor - its addition completes the RNA polymerase holoenzyme
What are the three stages of RNA synthesis?
Initiation
Elongation
Termination
In which direction does the DNA coding (sense) strand run?
5’ to 3’
In which direction does the DNA template (anti-sense) strand run?
3’ to 5’
In which direction does the RNA transcript run?
5’ to 3’
What are the steps of elongation?
Next nucleotide aligned w/template; first phosphodiester bond formed
RNA polymerase moves along template 1 base at a time
DNA unwound in front of enzyme; rewound behind
How fast does RNA polymerase move along the template?
About 50 bases per second
What facilitates unwinding during elongation?
-ve supercoiling
At any one point, about how many base pairs are unwound?
17
How many nuclear RNA polymerases do eukaryotes have?
3
Where is RNA polymerase I found?
Nucleolus
Where are DNA polymerases II and III found?
Nucleus
What does RNA polymerase II core enzyme protein require for efficient initiation?
Numerous additional proteins (it is a multisubunit protein)
What genes are transcribed by RNA polymerase I?
rRNA (18S, 28S, 5.8S)
What genes are transcribed by RNA polymerase II?
mRNA
What genes are transcribed by RNA polymerase III?
tRNA
5S rRNA
What is a primary transcript?
A newly synthesized RNA molecule
What has to be done to prokaryote mRNAs before they are ready to be used in translation?
Nothing
What modification does RNA undergo to become tRNA?
Base modifications
What must occur to RNA to become rRNA?
Cleavage of large primary transcript into functional fragments
What is found on the 3’ end of mature tRNA?
CCA
What two enzymes are at work to modify a primary transcript into mature tRNA?
RNase P
RNase D
What things are done in mRNA processing?
Addition of 5’ cap
Addition of 3’ polyA tail
Splicing of introns
What is function of the 3’ polyA tail on mRNA?
Enhance mRNA stability
What is the 5’ cap?
7-methylguanosine, added via 5’,5’-triphosphate linkage
What is it thought that the 5’ cap does for mRNA?
Enhance translation
How many codons are there?
64
How many stop codons?
3
What are the stop codons?
UAA
UGA
UAG
What is the initiation codon?
AUG
What is UUU?
Phe
What is CCC?
Pro
What is GGG?
Gly
What is AAA
Lys
What is stage 1 of protein synthesis?
“Charging” tRNA with proper amino acid
How are amino acids attached to tRNA during charging?
Via ester bonds (carboxylic acid to sugar OH) to the 3’ OH
What catalyzed the aminoacylation of the 3’ OH (charging) of the tRNA?
Amino acyl-tRNA synthetases
What is stage 2 of protein synthesis?
Initiation
How is initiation started?
By recognition of the initiation codon
What is the “regular” tRNA in bacteria?
tRNA^Met
What is the initiation tRNA in bacteria?
tRNA^fMet
What is the starting amino acid in bacteria?
N-formylmethionine
What donates the formyl group to tRNA^fMet?
N610-formyltetrahydrofolate
What are the 7 components required to initiate protein synthesis?
- 30S ribosomal subunit (contains 16S rRNA)
- mRNA
- Initiation fMet-tRNA^fMet
- Three initiation factors (IF-1, IF-2, IF-3)
- GTP
- 50 S ribosomal subunit
- Mg^2+
How many steps does it take the 7 initiation components of bacteria to assemble into the initiation complex?
3 steps
What is step 1 of assembling the initiation complex (bacteria)?
Binding positions the initiation codon on the 30S subunit
-Codon bound to P site of 30S
How is the initiation codon distinguished in step 1 of initiation complex assembly (bacteria)?
By proximity to the Shine-Dalgarno sequence
What blocks the A site in the assembly of the initiation complex (bacteria)?
IF-1
What is step 2 of assembling the initiation complex (bacteria)?
Initiator tRNA binds to P site
-30S subunit, mRNA, IF-1, IF-3 complex is joined by IF-2 and fMet-tRNA^fMet
What is step 3 of assembling the initiation complex (bacteria)?
Large 50S subunit binds to complex
What is the 1st step of elongation?
Bind the next aminoacyl-tRNA (to the A site)
What is the 2nd step of elongation?
Peptide bond formation