Study Guide Microbial Genetics (pt1)

Question 1

The entire complement of genes on all chromosomes normally found in an organism; the hereditary information

Answer 1

Genome

Question 2

A segment of DNA that contains the genetic code for a functional product (e.g. specific protein)

Answer 2

Gene

Question 3

the transfer of the genetic code on DNA gene into a messenger RNA strand, by means of DNA-dependent RNA polymerase

Answer 3

Transcription

Question 4

What are the components of a nucleotide?

Answer 4

• 5-carbon sugar
• Phosphate group
• Nitrogenous base

Question 5

What is a 5-carbon sugar comprised of?

Answer 5

Either Ribose or Deoxyribose

Question 6

What is the synthesis of a polypeptide at the ribosome through linkage of amino acids in a sequence specified by a mRNA molecule

Answer 6

Translation

Question 7

What is constantly expressed (transcribed and translated into functional products) (60-80% of genes are in this category)

Answer 7

Constitutive genes

Question 8

What can be “turned on” by the correct substrate

Answer 8

Inducible genes

Question 9

Where is the phosphate group located in a nucleotide?

Answer 9

It is bound to the fifth (or 5’, five-prime) carbon of the sugar molecule

Question 10

Where is the Nitrogenous base located in a nucleotide?

Answer 10

It is bound to the first or 1’ (“one prime”) carbon position of the 5-carbon sugar

Question 11

What can be “turned off” by the correct substrate

Answer 11

Repressible genes

Question 12

What are related genes that are regulated as a group/series

Answer 12

Operon

Question 13

What are changes in the sequence of DNA bases, thus changing the genetic code

Answer 13

mutation

Question 14

Name the nitrogenous bases

Answer 14

• Purine
  i. Adenine (A)
  ii. Guanine (G)
• Pyrimidine
  i. Thymine (T)
  ii. Cytosine (C)
  iii. Uracil (U) – only in RNA (replaces Thymine)

Question 15

How do the nitrogenous bases bind?

Answer 15

A to T (or U in RNA)

C to G

Question 16

What is the basic building block of a Nucleic Acid

Answer 16

Nucleotide

Question 17

State the major structural components of DNA

Answer 17

• DNA
• Strand
• Strand Direction
• Strands are antiparallel

Question 18

What is a double helix of paired nucleotides (AT/GC) attached to the deoxyribose

Answer 18

DNA

Question 19

What is a strand, in DNA?

Answer 19

long chains of nucleotides

Question 20

In the stand direction of a DNA, the end in which no phosphate is bound to the 3’ carbon of the sugar is called the…

Answer 20

3’ end (5’ end only if it IS bound to the 5’ carbon)