Topic 6 Nucleic Acids and Protein Synthesis. Flashcards
What are the two key features of a DNA molecule in terms of its abilities?
- The ability to store information: the information needed is a set of instructions for controlling the behaviour of cells.
- The ability to copy itself accurately: whenever a cell divides it must pass on exact copies of the ‘genetic molecule’ to each of its daughter cells so no information is lost.
What is DNA and RNA?
DNA (which stands for deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (which stands for ribonucleic acid) are polynucleotides (polymer), made up of long chains of nucleotides (monomer).
What is a nucleotide?
Structure of a nucleotide. A nucleotide is made of a nitrogen-containing base, a pentose sugar and a phosphate group.
What are the four different nitrogen-containing/ nitrogenous bases found in DNA?
In DNA the bases are:
- Adenine.
- Guanine.
- Thymine.
- Cytosine.
What are the four different nitrogen-containing/ nitrogenous bases found in RNA?
In RNA the bases are:
- Adenine.
- Guanine.
- Uracil.
- Cytosine.
What are purines and pyrimidines?
Structural differences between purines and pyrimidines.
Adenine and guanine contain double ring structures and are classified as purine bases.
Thymine, uracil and cytosine contain single ring structure and are classified and pyrimidines.
https://byjus.com/biology/difference-between-purines-and-pyrimidines/
What is adenosine triphosphate (ATP)?
Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is an energy-carrying molecule found in the cells of all living things formed from the process of cellular respiration in the mitochondria of a cell and is released it to fuel other cellular processes.
What is the structure of ATP?
Adenosine can also be combined with 1 and 2 phosphate groups. Name them.
Struture of ATP, adenosine triphosphate.
ATP or adenosine triphosphate is a nucleotide that consists of three main structures: the nitrogenous or nitrogen-containing base (adenine), the pentose sugar (ribose) and a chain of three phosphate groups.
Adenosine monoposphate, adenosine diphosphate respectively.
https://senecalearning.com/en-GB/revision-notes/a-level/biology/aqa/1-6-1-structure-of-atp
What are three functions of ATP?
- Metabolic reactions which allow cells to carry out essential biochemical processes such as synthesis of macromolecules and cellular division.
- Transporting substances across membranes against their concentration gradients such as in active transport and therefore maintaining cellular homeostasis.
- Energy needed for mechanical work in cells, such as muscle contraction, cell motility, and other movements within the body.
How are polynucleotides formed?
Structure of a polynucleotide.
Polynucleotides are formed through the process of polymerisation, where individual nucleotides are joined together during condensation reactions forming long chains. This process is catalyzed by enzymes known as DNA polymerases or RNA polymerases, depending on whether DNA or RNA is being synthesised. The nucleotides are linked together through phosphodiester bonds, which connect the sugar of one nucleotide to the phosphate group of the next, forming a backbone for the polynucleotide chain.
Figure 2: Phosphodiester bond. This is the sugar-phosphate-sugar bond that creates the backbone of the DNA and RNA molecules.
https://eu.idtdna.com/pages/education/decoded/article/what-is-a-phosphodiester-bond
What is a dinucleotide?
A dinucleotide is a polymer of two nucleotides joined together by a condensation reaction forming a phosphodiester bond.
What is a phosphodiester bond?
A phosphodiester bond is a bond joining two nucleotides together. The phosphate group involved now has two ester bonds, one of each of the sugars it is connected to.
PAGE 146 FEATURES OF THE DNA MOLECULE AND LEARN HOW TO NUMBER CARBON ATOMS IN A SUGAR.
