RNA, DNA, and Cells Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the 5 functions of RNA?

A
  1. Converts genetic code from DNA to proteins
  2. Regulates the process of gene expression
  3. Facilitates biological reactions
  4. Senses and communicates responses to cellular signals
  5. Exists as the genetic material found in some viruses
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2
Q

What are the 3 main types of RNA?

A
  1. mRNA
  2. tRNA
  3. rRNA
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3
Q

RNA that carries information transcribed from DNA to the cytoplasm of the cell

A

mRNA

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4
Q

RNA that gathers the appropriate amino acids and delivers them to the ribosome

A

tRNA

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5
Q

RNA that carries out protein synthesis in the ribosome

A

rRNA

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6
Q

Where do transcription and translation occur in prokaryotic cells vs eukaryotic cells?

A

Prokaryotic Cells - transcription and translation occur simultaneously in the cytoplasm

Eukaryotic Cells - transcription occurs in the nucleus and translation occurs in the cytoplasm

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7
Q

Why does transcription and translation occur simultaneously in Prokaryotes?

A

The cell’s DNA and ribosomes are already in the cytoplasm

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8
Q

What makes up 1 complete ribosome?

A

1 large subunit + 1 small subunit

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9
Q

RNA that is involved in the splicing, processing, and modifying of the newly made mRNA in the nucleus

A

Small Nuclear RNA (snRNA)

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10
Q

the joining or connecting of different segments of DNA or RNA

A

Splicing

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11
Q

RNA that directs proteins to the plasma membrane as they emerge from the ribosome

A

Small Cytoplasmic RNA (scRNA)

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12
Q

small, highly-conserved segments of non-coding RNA that are involved in the regulation of gene expression

A

Micro RNA (miRNA)

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13
Q

RNA that regulates gene expression by silencing genes by specifically targeting and degrading their mRNA

A

Small Interfering RNA (siRNA)

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14
Q

a special type of virus that uses RNA, not DNA, as its genetic material and is able to integrate its DNA into the host cell so it can continue to replicate

A

Retrovirus

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15
Q

Where is siRNA often used?

A

Used in many labs to help scientists learn how genes operate

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16
Q

How does a retrovirus infect a cell? Describe in 4 steps

A
  1. Retrovirus infects a cell
  2. Uses reverse transcriptase to convert its RNA into DNA
  3. This integrates its DNA into the DNA of the host cell
  4. Virus can now continue to replicate
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17
Q

Give an example of a retrovirus?

A

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

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18
Q

changes in DNA that can occur at the DNA level, in the DNA’s translation to mRNA, and protein synthesis

A

Mutations

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19
Q

What are the 2 types of mutation categories?

A
  1. Large-Scale Mutations
  2. Small-Scale Mutations
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20
Q

Mutations that occur during meiosis due to damaging agents during developmental phases

A

Large-Scale Mutations

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21
Q

These types of mutations frequently result in lethal conditions

A

Large-Scale Mutations

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22
Q

What are the 4 main Large-Scale Mutations?

A
  1. Deletion
  2. Duplication
  3. Inversion
  4. Translocation
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23
Q

a mutation in which a segment of DNA is lost

A

Deletion

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24
Q

a mutation in which a segment is duplicated and inserted back into the original DNA

A

Duplication

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25
Q

a mutation in which a segment of DNA is reversed

A

Inversion

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26
Q

a mutation in which a segment of DNA is moved to another homologous chromosome

A

Translocation

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27
Q

A type of mutation that primarily affects protein synthesis

A

Small-Scale Mutations

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28
Q

Is the source of new genes and is important for diversity among organisms

A

Small-Scale Mutations

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29
Q

What are the 3 main types of Small-Scale Mutations?

A
  1. Point Mutations
  2. Nonsense Mutations
  3. Frameshift Mutations
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30
Q

What are the 2 subcategories of Point Mutations?

A
  1. Silent Mutations
  2. Missense Mutations
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31
Q

a mutation in which there is a single nucleotide pair substitution

A

Point Mutation

32
Q

a mutation in which a codon still codes for the same amino acid even though a base pair has been changed and has little impact on the organism

A

Silent Mutation

33
Q

a mutation in which a change in a single base changes the amino acid that’s inserted and can have either no functional impact or significant impact on the organism

A

Missense Mutation

34
Q

a mutation in which a single base pair substitution ends the translation early and can have devastating impacts on the function of a protein

A

Nonsense Mutation

35
Q

When do Missense Mutations have no functional impact on the organism?

A

If the amino acid that’s changed has similar properties or if that exact amino acid sequence isn’t important to the protein’s function

36
Q

a mutation in which nucleotides are inserted or deleted in a DNA sequence, resulting in the reading window of the mRNA message being moved

A

Frameshift Mutation

37
Q

What can happen with Frameshift Mutations?

A

An entirely different protein synthesized or an entire amino acid being deleted or inserted

38
Q

What is an example of a Frameshift Mutation?

A

Tay-Sachs Disease

39
Q

What are the 2 main types of genetic mutations?

A
  1. Germline Mutations (Hereditary Mutations)
  2. Somatic Mutations (Acquired Mutations)
40
Q

mutations in the DNA of germ cells and are present in all an offspring’s cells

A

Germline Mutations (Hereditary Mutations)

41
Q

mutations that occur at some point in an organism’s life, aren’t inherited from parents, and are caused by environmental exposure to mutagens

A

Somatic Mutations (Acquired Mutations)

42
Q

any agents that cause genetic mutations

A

Mutagen

43
Q

Give 4 examples of mutagens that cause somatic mutations

A
  1. UV light
  2. Radioactive compounds
  3. X-rays
  4. Certain chemicals
44
Q

result when a mutation renders a gene and its protein product unable to function properly

A

Genetic Disorders

45
Q

genetic changes that occur in more than 1% of the population

A

Polymorphisms

46
Q

People with mutations of what 2 genes are more likely to develop cancer than the general population?

A
  1. BRCA1
  2. BRCA2
47
Q

an organism comprised of more than 1 cell that use different types of cells to perform the essential processes for the organism to stay alive

A

Multicellular Organism

48
Q

What are the 4 Cell Development Steps in multicellular organisms?

A
  1. Cell Proliferation
  2. Cell Differentiation
  3. Cell-Cell Interactions
  4. Cell Movement
49
Q

groups of cells that together have specific functions

A

Tissues

50
Q

the genes expressed by a cell and a cell’s function rely on the cell’s past and present environments

A

Cell Memory

51
Q

the process of growth and division of cells that produce many cells from the original cell

A

Cell Proliferation

52
Q

How does a cell know to start the proliferation process?

A

The cell senses chemical signals in its environment

53
Q

this molecule binds to DNA and is a safety net to eliminate errors in cells

A

p53 protein

54
Q

How does p53 inhibit the development and growth of tumors? List 3 things

A
  1. Stimulating DNA repair
  2. Stopping a cell with DNA damage from proceeding through the cell cycle
  3. Initiating apoptosis
55
Q

substances that cause cancer

A

Carcinogens

56
Q

How does an organism end up with a p53 mutation?

A
  1. Environmental exposure to carcinogens
  2. Inherited
57
Q

a type of cell in the nervous system that must be able to sense the internal and external environment and communicate rapidly with each other

A

Neuron

58
Q

a type of cell that must be able to regenerate quickly and be structurally sound to ensure that the tissue is sufficiently strong

A

Skeletal Cells

59
Q

the process of cells developing features that enable them to fulfill specific roles

A

Cell Differentiation

60
Q

a type of cell that is responsible for transporting substances around the body and protecting it from foreign invaders

A

Circulatory System Cells

61
Q

the result of the genetic programming contained in each organism’s DNA

A

Cell Specialization

62
Q

Have different genes turned on and expressed at different times

A

Specialized Cells

63
Q

an unspecialized cell that can divide limitlessly and can differentiate into specialized cells under specific conditions

A

Stem Cell

64
Q

What are the 4 levels of potency?

A
  1. Totipotent
  2. Pluripotent
  3. Multipotent
  4. Unipotent
65
Q

cells that can specialize into any type of body cell the organism needs to grow + extraembryonic cells (placental)

A

Totipotent

66
Q

cells that can give rise to any type of body cell the organism needs to grow EXCEPT extraembryonic cells

A

Pluripotent

67
Q

adult stem cells that have been reprogrammed to become like embryonic stem cells

A

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs)

68
Q

cells that can give rise to several different cell types, but their specialization typically is limited to the tissue in which they’re located in order to replace dead or damaged tissue

A

Adult Stem Cells

69
Q

how cells communicate with each other

A

Cell-Cell Interaction

70
Q

What 2 ways can cells interact? Which is most common?

A
  1. Chemical means
  2. Electrical means
71
Q

cellular interaction in which cells are located next to each other and small channels between the cells allow small molecules to diffuse from one cell to another

A

Direct Contact

72
Q

cellular communication that involves the production of a chemical signal by a cell that is then diffused over a short distance to reach nearby cells

A

Paracrine Signaling

73
Q

Occurs between cells separated by a synapse over which neurotransmitters can diffuse to send messages from one cell to another

A

Synaptic Signaling

74
Q

cellular communication the involves a cell signaling to itself as the ligands it releases bind to receptors on its surface

A

Autocrine Signaling

75
Q

cellular communication that refers to long distance signaling conducted by hormones as they travel throughout the body via the circulatory system

A

Endocrine Signaling

76
Q

a complex and dynamic process that is an important part of organismal development, wound healing and immune system responses and is directed by signals from other cells and extracellular molecules

A

Cell Movement