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BIOLOGY-FY > S1-L9: Nucleic Acids > Flashcards

S1-L9: Nucleic Acids Flashcards

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1
Q

Explain what nucleic acids are

A
  • organism store protein structure information in macromolecules known as nucleic acids
  • ->this info passed onto daughter cells during cell division
  • nucleic acids serve as storage units for our unique hereditary info
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2
Q

What does DNA stand for and describe it

A
  • DNA is deoxyribonucleic acid
  • basic hereditary material in nucleus
  • contains info necessary to make proteins
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3
Q

Similarly, what does RNA stand for and describe it

A
  • RNA is ribonucleic acid
  • exists in several forms
  • translates info found in DNA
  • directs protein production in cytoplasm
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4
Q

State what is common between DNA & RNA

A

-both polymers of nucleotides also known as polynucleotides or nucleic acids

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5
Q

What is the basic structure of nucleotides?

A
  • nucleotides made up of 3 building blocks
  • ->sugar (ribose OR 2-deoxy ribose)
  • ->nitrogenous base
  • ->phosphate group(s)
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6
Q

What is each of the following composed of and outline some key features:

1-Nucleobase
2-Nucleoside
3-Nucleotide

A 
1-is nitrogenous base 
2-nucleobase + sugar 
3-nucleoside + phosphate 
-normally named after nucleobase 
-additional phosphate may be present- nucleotide diphosphate/ nucleotide triphosphate 
-nucleotide can be cyclic
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7
Q

Describe a nucleobase (refer to figure 2)

A
  • attach to sugar with B-N-glyosidic link to form nucleoside
  • adenosine formed from nucleobases adenine + sugar ribose
  • nucleobases can be either pyrimidines OR purines
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8
Q

What are pyrimidine nucleobases? (figure 3)

A

-heterocyclic organic compounds consisting of pyrimidine ring

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9
Q

Define a purine (figure 4)

A

-heterocyclic organic compound consisting of pyrimidine ring infused to an imidazole ring

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10
Q

State the common nucleotides which contain ribose

A
  • multiphosphorylated nucleotides (figure 5)
  • DNA (in deoxy form) figure 6
  • ->other forms exist too (figure 7)
  • NAD+ (figure 8)
  • cAMP (figure 9)
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11
Q

Describe NAD+

A

1-NAD+: co-enzyme in cellular reactions

  • NADP+ is phosphorylated form
  • act as e- acceptor (oxidising agent)
  • involved in cellular respiration
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12
Q

Similarly describe cAMP

A
  • Cyclic AMP can be produced by adenylate cyclase

- cAMP important in cell signalling molecule

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13
Q

How may adenosine triphosphate be changed to release energy? (figure 10)

A
  • adensoine triphosphate (ATP) can be dephosphorylated to release energy:
  • ATP ADP + P
  • ADP AMP + P
  • ATP
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14
Q

What is Guanosine triphosphate (GTP)?

A
  • it similar to ATP

- important in protein synthesis AND cell signalling

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15
Q

Structure of common nucleotides

A
  • purines
  • ->adenine/ guanine
  • pyrimidines
  • ->cytosine/ uracil/ thymine
  • nucleoside–>nucleoside monophosphate etc
  • figure 11 shows all of the common nucleotides
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16
Q

Outline and describe the structure of of a single strand of DNA (figure 12 gives a visual representation)

A
  • DNA polymer made of nucleotides
  • phosphate on one nucleotide covalently links (phosphodiester bond) t o2-deoxy ribose sugar on next nucleotide
  • ->forms strand (sugar phosphate backbone)
  • nitrogenous bases protrude from each sugar unit
17
Q

Explain what DNA is and how it forms (figure 13)

A
  • 2 strands twist around each other- to form double helix
  • 2 single DNA strands complementary to each other in terms of orientation AND their nitrogenous base
  • structure discovered by Watson & Crick 1953
18
Q

What is the interaction between anti-parallel strands in DNA?

A
  • DNA strands are anti-parallel–> read 5’ to 3’ (figure 14)
  • complementary strands have asymmetric ends
  • H bonds form between bases which follow base pair rulings (figure 15):
  • ->A-T (2 H bonds)
  • ->G-C (3 H bonds)
19
Q

Explain what genes are and their function

A
  • portions of DNA

- genes carry instructions for making proteins

20
Q

What does the order of bases determine?

A

-determines order of amino acids in protein (genetic code)

21
Q

What do proteins determine?

A

-determine cell structure/function AND identity

22
Q

How may genetic info be passed on?

A

-DNA able to replicate genetic code to pass genetic info on to daughter cells

23
Q

Outline the way DNA is organised in a cell

A

-cell–>nucleus–>contains 46 chromosomes–>tightly packed DNA (associated with histone proteins)–>DNA organised in double helix–>DNA determined by sequence of DNA

24
Q

Define the term Karyotype (figure 17)

A
  • number and appearance of chromosomes in nucleus of eukaryotic cell
  • Karyotype: (22+X OR Y)=23
25
Q

Describe RNA (refer to 4 diagrams in figure 18)

A
  • RNA similar to DNA except:
  • ->ribose sugar replaces deoxyribose
  • ->ribose single-stranded
  • ->uracil (U) replaces thymine (T)
26
Q

What is the function of RNA?

A
  • RNA serves as template for polynucleotide RNA synthesis

- information contained in DNA preserved in the RNA

27
Q

Outline each of the following types of RNA:

1-Messenger RNA (mRNA) (figure 19)
2-Transfer RNA (tRNA) (figure 20)
3-Ribosomal RNA (rRNA)

A

1-converts genetic info in DNA into template which used to construct a protein molecule
2-helps transport amino acids which build polypeptide chain of proteins
3-with ribosomal proteins, rRNA makes up ribosomes-the organelles which translate the mRNA

28
Q

How does it all fit together?

A
  • transcription and translation occurs involving all the different features discussed before (involving):
  • tRNA/mRNA/rRNA
  • figure 21 shows a visual representation
29
Q

What did Lewin state about the Central Dogma? (figure 22)

A
  • central dogma states that info in nucleic acid can continue indefinitely OR be transferred
  • ->but transfer of information into protein is irreversible
30
Q

Similarly what did Crick say about the Central Dogma? (figure 22)

A

-once sequential information has been passed into protein it cannot get out again

31
Q

What is the use of DNA in forensic biology? (figure 23)

A
  • DNA testing for forensic use

- ->forensic DNA “fingerprint analysis”

32
Q

How is DNA used in medicine? (figure 24)

A

-for medical use–>DNA sequencing AND somatic gene therapy

33
Q

Outline the use of DNA in genetic engineering (figure 25)

A
  • DNA used in genetic engineering to make OR change proteins

- ->like insulin

34
Q

What is gene editing using CRISPR (family of DNA sequences found in genomes of prokaryotic organisms like bacteria/ archaea) ?

A
  • changing single nucleotide genome
  • ->deletion in certain places and then insertion of DNA
  • ->good as very specific
  • reach targeted genome editing
  • figure 26 gives a visual representation of the process

BIOLOGY-FY (12 decks)

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