Review Cards - Molecular Diagnostics Flashcards
DNA & ribonucleic acid (RNA)
Nucleus acid
Nucleic acid that carries genetic information; in eukaryotes, located in chromosomes in nucleus & small amount in mitochondria; also present in bacteria & DNA viruses
DNA
Double-stranded DNA
dsDNA
Single-stranded DNA
ssDNA
DNA in chromosomes
Genomic DNA
Circular piece of DNA found in mitochondria of eukaryotes; codes for polypeptides involved in oxidative phosphorylation; transmitted by maternal inheritance (mitochondria in ova, not sperm); used in forensics, lineage & population studies
Mitochondrial DNA
Piece of coiled DNA containing many genes; humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes; 1 set from mother, 1 from father; 22 pairs of autosomes, 1 pair sex chromosomes (X,Y)
Chromosome
Specific sequence of nucleotides (1,000-4,000) at particular location on chromosome; starts at 5’ end with promoter region that initiates transcription & ends at 3’ end with terminator sequence that ends transcription
Gene
-humans have about 30,000 genes
-DNA sequence in genes is 99.9% the same in all people
DNA sequences on chromosomes that code for amino acids/proteins
Exons
Noncoding regions between exons
introns
all hereditary information for an individual
genome
relationship between sequence of bases in DNA or its RNA transcript & sequence of amino acids in proteins
genetic code
nucleic acid that converts genetic information from DNA into specific proteins; some has regulatory and structural function; present in nucleus & in cytoplasm where it’s associated with ribosomes (free or attached to ER); source of genetic information in retroviruses
RNA
pentose sugar with nitrogen base attached; dephosphorylated nucleotide; adenosine, guanosine, cytidine, thymidine
nucleoside
building blocks of DNA & RNA; a pentose sugar with nitrogen base attached to 1’C & 1-3 phosphate groups attached to 5’C; nucleotide sequences always written in 5’ to 3’ direction, e.g., 5’ATCGAACAGTAC3’
nucleotide
sugar with 5 carbons (C); carbons are numbered 1’-5’ starting with the carbon to the right of oxygen & going clockwise; superscript (prime) differentiates carbons in sugar from carbons in bases, which are numbered 1-9
pentose
5-carbon sugar found in RNA
ribose
5-carbon sugar found in DNA; similar to ribose, but with one less oxygen
deoxyribose
carbon-nitrogen ring structures attached to 1’ carbon of sugar in DNA & RNA: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), thymine (T), & uracil (U);
nitrogen bases
Nitrogen bases in DNA
A, G, C, T
Nitrogen bases in RNA
A, G, C, U
-U is similar to T in DNA, except it lacks a methyl group
purine from 1 strand of nucleic acid& pyrimidine from another strand joined by hydrogen bonds; A forms 2 H bonds with T or U; G forms 3 H bones with C
base pairs
opposite or partner base in base pair, e.g., A is complementary to T or U; G is complementary to C
complementary
nitrogen bases with single C-N ring (C, T, U)
pyrimidine
nitrogen bases with 2 C-N rings (A, G)
purine
bonds that join nucleotides in nucleic acid; 5’ phosphate group of 1 sugar attaches to 3’ hydroxyl group of adjacent sugar; a molecule of H2O splits off
phosphodiester bonds
Comparison of DNA and RNA - DNA - function
carries genetic information, serves as template for synthesis of RNA
Comparison of DNA and RNA - DNA - location
nucleus (except mitochondrial DNA)
Comparison of DNA and RNA - DNA - composition
repeating nucleotides linked by phosphodiester bonds between 5’ phosphate group of 1 sugar & 3’ hydroxyl group of next
Comparison of DNA and RNA - DNA - sugar
deoxyribose
Comparison of DNA and RNA - DNA - pyrimidines
C, T
Comparison of DNA and RNA - DNA - purines
A, G
Comparison of DNA and RNA - RNA - function
-converts genetic information from DNA into proteins
-some has regulatory or structural function
-source of genetic information in RNA viruses
Comparison of DNA and RNA - RNA - location
nucleus & cytoplasm
Comparison of DNA and RNA - RNA - composition
repeating nucleotides linked by phosphodiester bonds between 5’ phosphate group of 1 sugar & 3’ hydroxyl group of next
Comparison of DNA and RNA - RNA - sugar
ribose
Comparison of DNA and RNA - RNA - pyrimidines
C, U
Comparison of DNA and RNA - RNA - purines
A, G
Comparison of DNA and RNA - DNA - usual structure
-double stranded
-each strand has 5’ end (phosphate group attached to 5’C) & 3’ end (OH group attached to 3’C)
-strands are antiparallel, i.e., one in 3’ to 5’ direction, other 5’-3’
-2 strands coil around each other to form double helix with alternating sugar & P groups on exterior & bases on interior
-strands held together by hydrogen bonds between complementary bases
Comparison of DNA and RNA - DNA - usual structure
-single stranded
-shorter than DNA
-irregular 3D structure
Nitrogen bases - Purines - DNA & RNA
A, G
Nitrogen bases - pyrimidines - DNA & RNA
C
Nitrogen bases - pyrimidines - DNA only
T
Nitrogen bases - pyrimidines - RNA only
U
Nitrogen bases - base pairing - DNA & RNA
G-C