The Structure of DNA and RNA

Question 1

What is the genome of an organism?

Answer 1

The genome of an organism is the entire genetic material of that organism.

Question 2

What is a gene?

Answer 2

A gene is a small section of DNA on a chromosome. Each gene codes for a particular sequence of amino acids, to make a specific protein.

Question 3

Why is DNA an important molecule?

Answer 3

Deoxyribonucleic acid is the molecule of inheritance and it stores genetic information in its sequence of bases.

Question 4

What is DNA used for?

Answer 4

DNA is a complex molecule present in all living cells which can direct its own replication. It contains the code to make tens of thousands of proteins in an organism. This sequence of bases determines the genetic code of the organism and the structure of its proteins.

Question 5

What is DNA made up of?

Answer 5

Each molecule of DNA consists of 2 strands, where each strand is made up of repeating units called nucleotides.

Question 6

What is a DNA nucleotide made up of?

Answer 6

The nucleotide is made up of:
Deoxyribose sugar
Phosphate
Base (of which there are 4)

Question 7

What holds the DNA nucleotides together?

Answer 7

Strong chemical bonds link the nucleotides between the phosphate on one nucleotide and the sugar on another.
These bonds are not easily broken and join nucleotides together into a long permanent strand - forming the DNA molecule’s sugar-phosphate backbone.

Question 8

What are the four DNA bases?

Answer 8

1. Adenine (A)
2. Cytosine (C)
3. Thymine (T)
4. Guanine (G)

Question 9

How do the DNA bases pair up?

Answer 9

Each base can only join with one other base.
Adenine pairs with Thymine.
Guanine pairs with Cytosine.

Question 10

What bonds form between bases in DNA?

Answer 10

Weaker hydrogen bonds form between complementary bases joining the two strands of nucleotides together.
This complementary base pairing results in the formation of a double-stranded DNA molecule.

Question 11

What is RNA?

Answer 11

RNA (ribonucleic acid) is another type of nucleic acid found in cells.

Question 12

What is RNA used for?

Answer 12

mRNA: Transcription and translation
tRNA: Translation
rRNA: Structural component of ribosomes

Question 13

What is RNA made up of?

Answer 13

RNA is a single strand of nucleotides subunits.
The RNA nucleotides are made up of a phosphate, a ribose sugar, and a base.

Question 14

What are the four RNA bases?

Answer 14

1. Adenine (A)
2. Uracil (U)
3. Guanine (G)
4. Cytosine (C)

Question 15

What are the structural differences between RNA and DNA?

Answer 15

1. RNA is a single strand of nucleotides whereas DNA is a double strand of nucleotides.
2. In RNA the base uracil replaces the base thymine found in DNA. Therefore, adenine would pair with uracil on a RNA molecule.
3. In RNA the ribose sugar replaces the deoxyribose sugar found in DNA.