Transcription & Translation Flashcards
What is the central dogma of molecular biology?
DNA is transcribed to RNA, which is then translated to protein.
True or False: Transcription occurs in the cytoplasm.
False: Transcription occurs in the nucleus.
What is the role of RNA polymerase?
RNA polymerase synthesizes RNA from a DNA template during transcription.
Fill in the blank: The process of converting mRNA into a protein is called _______.
Translation.
What are the three main types of RNA involved in protein synthesis?
mRNA, tRNA, and rRNA.
What is the function of tRNA?
tRNA carries amino acids to the ribosome during translation.
What is a codon?
A codon is a sequence of three nucleotides on mRNA that codes for a specific amino acid.
True or False: Proteins are made up of nucleotides.
False: Proteins are made up of amino acids.
What is the start codon in mRNA?
AUG is the start codon that codes for methionine.
What are enzymes?
Enzymes are proteins that act as catalysts to speed up biochemical reactions.
Fill in the blank: Enzymes lower the _______ energy of a reaction.
Activation.
What is the significance of the genetic code being degenerate?
The genetic code is degenerate because multiple codons can code for the same amino acid.
What is the role of ribosomes in translation?
Ribosomes facilitate the assembly of amino acids into a polypeptide chain based on the mRNA sequence.
What are the two main stages of protein synthesis?
Transcription and translation.
Fill in the blank: The sequence of amino acids in a protein is determined by the _______ sequence of the mRNA.
Nucleotide.
What is the role of the enzyme helicase?
Helicase unwinds the DNA double helix during replication and transcription.
What is a silent mutation?
A silent mutation is a change in the DNA sequence that does not alter the amino acid sequence of the protein.
What is the term for the three-nucleotide sequence on tRNA that corresponds to a codon on mRNA?
Anticodon.
What is meant by ‘gene expression’?
Gene expression is the process by which information from a gene is used to synthesize a functional gene product, typically a protein.
Fill in the blank: The site of protein synthesis in the cell is called the _______.
Ribosome.
What is the end product of translation?
The end product of translation is a polypeptide chain that folds into a functional protein.
What are the building blocks of proteins?
Amino acids.
